Dark Skies over Palamecia
by SuzuriHeinze
Summary: AU!FFII - Three letters have been delivered, and three people have become the new head of the Wild Rose Rebellion. Now, if only they could come together... and, in Palamecia, a tournament is being planned in the honor of Queen Regent Airu's upcoming birthday.
1. Ch 1, Part 1

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all original characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fanfiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Prologue 

Sunlight poured down on the country town of Fynn. It was not a big city, even though it had a castle and was considered the home of Fynn's royal family. The town sat next to a lake full of water that sparkled in the sunlight. It was full of healthy fish, which was a very heavy staple of the population's main diet because of that. To the south was the hamlet of Galtea, and further south was a larger town, Altair, home to some of the best weapon-smiths in the entire world. Together, these three towns composed the kingdom of Fynn, led by a beloved King, Lord Gilbert, and his daughter, Princess Hilda.

Within Fynn's borders lived a healthy little family made of a father, a mother, two twin daughters, and an adopted boy. Life was never a dull moment for them. Together, they made every day special. The three children could not be separated by any means. They attended a local school, all being of the same age. Every day was filled with laughter. Theirs was the happiest childhood.

But that all changed the day that the Empire of Palamecia attacked…

Part One

Overlooking Lake Fynn from the roof of her family's cottage, Cantirena took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. Today was as uneventful as the rest of her life had been, and she was taking the time to get away from her family while she had the chance. Dinner time would be within a few hours. She held a book in her hands that she had received from her magic teacher, the white mage Minwu. If she was ever going to get any study done, now would be the perfect time.

"The light of cure comes from within," she read aloud. "If one does not have enough strength in their inner spirit, one cannot use the cure spell to great effect." Cantirena blinked a few times as she wondered if she had enough spirit to use a cure spell effectively or not. She looked the diagrams over very carefully, tracing the lines along the picture of a saint's body with her finger to learn how the spirit was to flow during a cure spell. "Conversely, the school of black magic does not require one to be strong in their spirit. Black magic's power is based on that of a person's intelligence. You have to know how the power of mana will flow through your body to create the effects to be able to use black magic to its fullest potential." She looked at the diagram present for the flow of power for black magic, too. "I didn't realize it was so different. No wonder Minwu is so good at magic!"

As she thought about her future as a magician, she could hear the clanking of swords in the yard below. She tried to ignore it. Cantirena was jealous of her slightly older sister Clarisse, who had the strength to wield weapons easily. Clarisse had excellent fighting potential, so much so that she was being trained by the captain of Fynn's royal guard, Borghen. Not that it mattered that much. Both of their parents were thrilled that important people saw so much potential in their twin daughters. Borghen and Minwu were extremely well respected, not only in Fynn, but also politically in the entire world.

"All right, then," Borghen's raspy voice said. "Very good technique, Clarisse. You have such talent with your blade." Cantirena could hear the swords hit the ground, and Clarisse with them. "It's almost a waste you had to be born here."

"What do you mean by that?" Clarisse's voice asked. She was breathing very heavily, wiping sweat from every part of her face. They'd been sparring for the last two hours. She sounded more than ready to take her armor off and rest for the rest of the week.

Borghen shook his head. "Take a break, Clarisse," he said, picking up his sword and putting it in its sheath. "You deserve it."

"Whew," Clarisse said gently. "I would salute you, captain, but I can't even stand."

"That's perfectly fine," Borghen replied. "I will see you again soon. You look so tired that you should probably rest for a while. I'll come get you when lessons are to start up again, all right?"

"All right! I'll be sure to do that."

Borghen walked away from Clarisse and soon was headed in the direction of Fynn's castle. Cantirena climbed off the roof and down the house, then sat in the grass next to her sister.

"What a day!" Cantirena said with a big grin. "I got a special book from my teacher, and you got the private session of a lifetime with yours!"

"I think life is lookin' up, little sister," Clarisse laughed heartily. "Imagine, you being Minwu's great student. I can't help but feel like you're gonna travel the whole world with him and learn all sorts of great magic. First Fynn, then the world, you know! Borghen himself even told me that I could be the next captain of the royal guard."

"Is that what you want to do?" the younger of the two asked of the older.

"I'm not sure. What about you? Do you want to travel the world and learn all of the magic there is to be learned? Since you're the star student of Minwu, you have that available to you," the elder replied.

Cantirena looked up into the sky. "I want to travel the world," she said. "That much I know."

_But I have no idea how far I'll have to go,_ she thought._ I don't even know where… where he is._

Clarisse nodded as she said, "But I think I'm much happier staying here. I have everything I need in Fynn. Home, a steady job…"

"A cute boyfriend," Cantirena added, letting out a particularly evil laugh.

"I wasn't thinking anything like that!" Clarisse grumbled.

"You're full of shit," Cantirena said. "I can tell by the look on your face. You don't wanna go on an adventure, because you could totally lose him to some other girl here at home. I hear you. I'll send you a letter from every place I visit on my Grand World Tour, so maybe you can experience it that way."

Clarisse giggled. "I can't wait until I have a whole bushel full of them. I can take them all to Mom and Dad. They'll so proud of you."

The wind blew a little harder, brushing their hair along with it. It didn't seem like anything could go wrong at all. Life was looking up. Today was no different. The sun was on its way down to end the day on such a positive note, and for a moment, neither of the sisters wanted time to move forward.

Suddenly, something smelled funny from the outskirts of town. Then they both could hear screams coming from somewhere nearby, too.

"What the hell?" Cantirena asked. She sniffed the air. It smelled very familiar. Gripping her book tightly, she shot up and looked around. "Uh oh…"

"What?" Clarisse stood up, too. She could see exactly what her sister meant. "Uh oh is right."

They found that there was fire in the distance. Men, women, and children were screaming. Swords clashing, the sound of magic spells flying about, and the heavy footsteps of a phalanx of armor-clad dark knights filled the town of Fynn.

"What do we do?!" Cantirena asked in a panic.

When a pair of dark knights walked up to their house, Clarisse picked up her sword. "If Borghen says I've got it, it's time to prove it!" she shouted, running at them as fast as she could. "Hey, bozo, that's my house!" As she lifted her blade, she was pushed away by one of them. "Ow… I couldn't even get close!"

"Canti! Claire!" came a voice from inside the house.

"Father!" Both sisters yelled at once.

The moment their father stepped out of the house, a knight ran his blade straight through his stomach, causing blood to fall all over the ground and their own armor. Then, his wife came out of the house, frozen with fear when she laid eyes on the sight of her husband's guts all over the cobblestone path. The knight swiftly dealt the woman a crushing blow to the head, and let the body fall onto the ground.

"No…" Cantirena cried, feeling her powers swell around her. "…you won't get away with that!" She felt the warmth of fire form within her body, and soon it was forming at her fingertips. It was the first time she ever cast any black magic, but it came so easily. Now she understood what the book said about feeling the power flow inside before it could take physical form. _Thank you, Lord Minwu,_ she thought as she let the fireball fly at the knights. The fireball was deflected by a shield, and when the pair were surrounded, a young man leapt from a nearby tree to fall into the circle with them.

"Fear not, ladies, your hero has arrived," he said, drawing his own sword.

"Enough heroics, Firi…" Cantirena grunted angrily even though she could tell that Clarisse was more than overjoyed to see that he wasn't a splatter on some random part of town. "We don't have time for your jokes right now."

"Of course not," he laughed. "All you boys are gonna gang up on two girls? You've gotta be kidding me. You're all cowards, every one of you. And if there's something I can't stand seeing… it's cowardly men!" Firion rushed into the fight and did the best he could. He wasn't that great at landing blows on such heavy armor, but he knew how to dodge well enough. "All right, Canti, I'll buy you time. Cast the biggest spell you can imagine. I don't think either me or Clarisse can do it. You're Minwu's faithful student. You can do it."

"Yeah, she can do it, all right!" Clarisse said, standing on Cantirena's other side. "We've got your back!"

Again, the power swelled around her. This time, it was more powerful. Everything around her, including the clothes of her two companions brushed about in the wind that came from her shifting aura. "Get OUT!" her voice echoed throughout the whole town, and with it came the wind force of a hurricane. As she used every bit of the magical strength she could muster, she gripped the book Minwu gave her close to her heart. "AERO!"

_Is… is it over_? Cantirena asked herself as she fell onto the ground. Her vision was a bit blurry at that point. Her whole body was exhausted. She had never imagined any power like that ever coming from her own body. The ground was so hard. She ached all over. She heard voices screaming around her, but she couldn't make out who they were or what they were saying. She was just too tired.

"Minwu," Cantirena whispered. "I can't go anymore…"

Inside her mind, she could have sworn she heard the words of her mentor. He could have been standing right there next to her, but Cantirena couldn't quite tell if he was or not.

_You have to run, my student! Flee as far as you can! Come to your senses! Cantirena, come back to us! Come back!_

Feeling energy come back to her body, she opened her eyes once again. Cantirena was not wounded, but there was blood right there next to her. How much time had passed between when she fainted and that exact moment? Her mind "No," she said, feeling tears start to flow. "Wha… where's my sister?! Firion?!" She stood up, still clenching her book. Was she really all alone in the world now? Wait, what happened to her teacher? What about the princess Hilda and King Gilbert? She wanted to scream, but she couldn't manage to speak.

A few moments later, she felt a very intense presence behind her. "You survived?" a deep, dark sounding voice said behind her. "That is… interesting."

Cantirena turned around to see the man who was addressing her. He had a purple mark on the center of his forehead, and his delicate looking frame was surrounded by long, gorgeous blonde hair. Out of the top of his head were two long horns of the same color as his hair. Before she had time to process who he might have been, she prepared to use all the strength she had left in her body to take him out. "You won't get away with this," she said through her tears. "I will avenge my family!"

Though she had no clue, she stood no chance. The towering man didn't even use a weapon to stop her from casting her spell. All he had to do was slap her, and she fell to the ground. She hit so hard that her book fell from her hands.

"There is a fine line between bravery and recklessness," he said quietly. Suddenly, the book caught his attention. He picked it up, looking at the cover and flipping through its pages. He then looked at the girl at his feet and cast magic that made her fall into a deep sleep. "Take this one," he muttered to a guard. "Do not harm her. She will pose no trouble."

Meanwhile, far to the south, in a medium-sized town by the name of Altair, Clarisse came to her senses very suddenly. She was in a brick room, sitting on a magic circle. It looked a lot like the design that was on the front of the book Cantirena held earlier. Her thoughts snapped to that of her sister, and then, to that of Firion.

"Cantirena! Firion!" Clarisse shouted, hoping for a response. She picked herself up off the floor. She looked at her shoulder, trying to figure out how she was healed. "Ho… how? A huge sword smashed my shoulder…" she muttered, heading toward the only exit she could see. Then, the memories of watching her parents' slaughter came back. She stood there, frozen, as she felt like she was reliving that memory over and over again. Tears flowed from her eyes, but she had them wiped before she reached the door leading outside.

It was much brighter here, wherever here was. Trying to put things together in her mind on her own wasn't working. She needed to talk to someone else. When she took a few steps down the hall, that's where she found Firion waiting with a worried expression.

"Ah! You're alive!" Firion said happily, walking up to her and giving her a hug. "Oh, I was so worried. That wound was terrible. Minwu really is a miracle worker."

"Minwu?" Just hearing his name, her thoughts immediately jumped to Cantirena. "Then, my sister?!"

A door opened and out of it came the dark-skinned Minwu wearing his pure white turban and robes. His eyes were the only things anyone could see. He walked with a large staff in his hand and a gleaming jewel at the top. "I am afraid that while I cast a spell to call her back to the realm of the living while I passed her, she did not make it back with us," he said carefully. "Forgive me, Clarisse. I have failed you both."

"No, sir. You did what you could," Clarisse said, closing her eyes. "Whoever did this atrocity… will pay for what they've done to my homeland and my family!"

"Do not go rushing off to declare revenge right this second," Minwu replied. "You have no proof of anything and you don't even know who or what is to blame for this massacre. I believe you should speak with Princess Hilda, as she is the one in charge while His Magesty, King Gilbert, is abed."

Clarisse nodded, and when Firion took her hand, she felt more confident about it. She decided she would speak with Hilda now to learn what she could. Cantirena and her parents would be avenged. Of this, she was absolutely sure.


	2. Ch 1, Part 2

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all original characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fanfiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 2

Altair had taken in every refugee without question. The town hall was converted into a shelter filled with living places for all who escaped Fynn earlier that day. Clarisse didn't see the princess immediately. Something else pulled at her heartstrings, and Clarisse had to do something about it. She and Firion stopped to help set up beds for a group of children who were now orphans due to the tragedy at Fynn. She and her sister turned sixteen that year. Technically, she was an orphan now, too, now that she stopped to think about it. Her heart broke to see little ones barely of school age, who were left without a family. When she looked at Firion's face, she could tell that even though he was not physically shedding tears, his heart was filled with an unfathomable sadness. It was a no-brainer. He was an orphan before all of this happened.

"You have such motherly instincts for one so talented in battle," Firion said to her once they had a moment to themselves. "The mighty lady warrior stops to take care of orphaned children. It sounds like legend."

Clarisse shook her head, leaning against the wall. "The battle earlier was no legend, Firion," she replied almost angrily. "You can't joke about things like this."

"I'm not joking with you," Firion said, putting a hand on her shoulder. "I wanted to brighten your mood a little."

"My parents were slaughtered in front of my own eyes! My sister could be dead! Don't ask me to smile!" Clarisse yelled at him. "Brighten my mood? Has your brain been smashed out of your head by a Black Knight? Should I go back to Fynn and retrieve it for you?" Even though she was yelling at him, all she wanted to do was curl up into a ball and cry.

Firion crossed his arms. "Take a look around you, Clarisse. Everyone around you lost something out there. I finally had a family after my parents died of the dreaded Plague, and you're all that's of it. That we know of. We're all hurting." He looked away from her. "But what Minwu said gives me a little hope. He cast a spell to bring her back after she fainted. She could have escaped. She might be hiding in one of our old hideouts in town, or maybe she's hurt so she can't make it past Galtea." He shrugged, heading towards a big room in the back of the building. "We really should talk to the princess, though. She knows more about this whole thing than we do."

She agreed with that. Together they walked through the large hallway leading to one room that had two chairs set up against the wall. It was a make-shift throne room on one side, and over to the side was a table covered in books and maps. Minwu stood there, shifting through all sorts of papers with a very determined look in his eyes. The rest of his expression was hard to determine, considering his mouth and the rest of his body was covered by his turban and robes. Princess Hilda sat on her throne as if she was thinking about everything that had happened. She had her head in one hand, trying to sort herself out. Clarisse remembered Minwu telling her that King Gilbert was abed earlier.

"Oh!" Hilda was shocked to see both Firion and Clarisse both up so soon. The moment she gave them a slight smile, they both bowed before her in respect. "Rise. I'm glad to see that you're both healed up. Altair has not pushed a single one of our townspeople away here. While Fynn may no longer be where we live, our home is where our heart is. You can live here in peace if you know our password, Wild Rose."

"Wild Rose," Clarisse repeated it. "…why is that the password?"

"Because the wild rose is the symbol of Fynn and its royal family. No matter how harsh the condition, the wild rose can bloom anywhere," Princess Hilda explained. "And we shall bloom."

"Your Highness," Firion said, looking up at the blonde woman before him. She wore a shimmering silk blue dress which had been ripped during their escape. Her hair was now scraggly and in knots, and half of her crown was broken. Even so, it did not damper her beauty. She still looked regal without the fancy trimmings. "I wish to fight in the rebellion!"

"Heavens, no!" Hilda said as if she was scolding him. "While I appreciate your enthusiasm, the way you are right now you will be throwing your young lives away. You are both strong and strong willed, but I have the two of you walking into a suicide. Stay here and mourn those you have lost."

"But there's a chance that my sister could still be alive!" Clarisse said loudly. When she realized that she just shouted at her ruler, she bowed her head and added, "Forgive my outburst, princess."

Hilda thought nothing of it. "Emotions will run high at a time like this. You are more than welcome to have your feelings and express them. Some of the stragglers who have come behind us have said there were captives being pulled together on the outskirts of Fynn. Those who were not killed and did not escape in time were in the possession of the Empire's knights." She said it, trying to keep a straight face. She could have cried at any moment. While Hilda told her people to show their emotions freely, she didn't live to it. "It is very possible that your sister is being held captive with the others. Who knows what the Palamecian Empire wants with our quiet country?"

Clarisse remembered very clearly that back a few months ago, that there was a gathering which took place in Fynn. She didn't have much to do with it, as she was not in the castle that day. Cantirena, however, was spending time with Minwu in the castle's library that day. When Cantirena returned from the castle at the day's end, she explained how she got to sit in during a meeting with Minwu. She seemed so excited about it, even though the meeting between royal families of various nations sounded incredibly boring to Clarisse. One of the people Cantirena said she had met was a prince from the land of Palamecia, among others. This was the first time Clarisse had heard the name of that country since that day.

"Palamecia?" Clarisse repeated the name of the country aloud. "They were in Fynn a few months ago, right? There was a prince who represented Palamecia there. I know for certain that my sister mentioned it."

"That is right," Minwu said, coming closer to stand next to Hilda's makeshift throne. "She was able to speak to him for a little bit after the meeting. I've never seen her like that around anyone before or since. They had a pleasant conversation. I'm sure that if the prince comes in contact with her, he will listen to her." He then crossed his arms, looking over at Hilda. "I'm afraid that I did not manage to get my sacred text. There is no other copy of it in this world."

Hilda's face didn't even reveal disappointment. "When it rains, it pours."

"Wait. Is that the book you gave Cantirena to study for homework tonight?" Clarissa asked, putting her hands on her hips. "She wouldn't let it go. She guarded it with her life."

"That's right," Minwu said, nodding. "So that means if she was captured, then-"

At that exact moment, Fynn was full of those fully armored knights. Every door to a building which still was intact had a guard standing before it. The whole place was under martial law. Most of the citizenry who were captured were kept in a single building in the center of town. The only one who wasn't was in the Palamecian leader's tent, sleeping.

At the snap of the leader's fingers, Cantirena's eyes opened. She looked around, confused. There was only one person inside the tent, the man she tried to face off with before she took a dirt nap. Then she noticed that her book was nowhere around, which made her panic a little. She sat up from where she was laying, but found it impossible to stand on her feet.

"With all your amazing potential, you didn't take but one hit from me," the leader said very quietly. "Maybe I should kill you now, and save Minwu the heartache later." He walked over and closed the side of his tent, then turned to look right at her.

"Go ahead," Cantirena said, letting her shoulders sag as much as her mood had. "I don't feel like I should be his student anymore. I don't know what you have me here for."

"It's almost as you don't remember," the leader murmured. "The day there was a meeting right here in Fynn."

"Oh I remember," Cantirena snapped at him. "There was a representative of your country at that meeting. I met him myself. He was the most beautiful man I'd ever seen, both inside and out." She felt herself blush, and her heart skipped a beat. She hadn't thought much about him, but whenever he cropped up in her thoughts, she had a hard time putting him away. "So gentle and kind, the Prince of Palamecia." She put her head down.

The leader nodded. "You sound quite _taken_ with him."

"He's more a man than you are! He wouldn't lead an assault on the country with the smallest military force in the world like some sort of coward." Cantirena said. "I can only imagine that some bully like you locking him up in some sort of dungeon."

"Would you like to see your prince again?"

"…is there a catch?"

"It is a simple question, my lady. Would you like to see your prince again? You admire him so. It would be a crime not to allow you that reunion." He took off his crown which held the large horns up on the top of his head, placing it on a table, then threw off the shoulder cape which made him appear much wider than he really was. His purple robes were lined with golden armor. "Look."

Cantirena lifted her head up, almost ready to cry, when she found the leader's face almost right against her own. His eyes stared straight into hers. There was no denying it, no matter how much she wanted to. "No…" she whispered, "Prince Mateus?! Is… is that you?!"

He shook his head. "No. I am the Emperor of Palamecia now."

"Why? What? I… I don't understand." Her hero, reduced to a mass murderer? It was too much to take. He was the reason she wanted to travel the world in the first place. Cantirena wanted to find him again. In some sick twist of fate, she did find him again, at a terrible price.

"Of course you don't understand. I came to the realization that this world belongs to me. There is only one fit to rule, and it is I," Mateus explained, sitting next to Cantirena. "You have _longed _for me. I am honored." He reached under her chin, pulled her face close to his, and kissed her cheek lightly. "You're trembling. Do I frighten you?"

Cantirena was divided. The one she wanted to search the world for was right here. He even kissed her! Her eyes watered. Under any other circumstances, she would have given in and let him have his way. But there was her homeland, and her family, too. She didn't even know if Clarisse made it out alive. "How I have wished I would cross paths with you again," she whispered. "I… was going to travel the world under the guise of learning all of the magic there was, only because… I wanted to find you."

Mateus nodded simply. "You would have no one but me?" he asked.

"I never told anyone," Cantirena said quietly. "Not my sister or my teacher. I feared their reactions. No common girl could marry a prince. Minwu is the most loyal of mages and serves diligently to Princess Hilda, but he is never considered as a possible companion for her. The closest I could ever get to you would be like Minwu is to Hilda. But that's all right. I decided that as long as I could see you happy, then I would be happy for you."

He asked, "You will serve me, as Minwu serves Hilda?"

"It is what I planned to do with my life since I watched you leave that day. I would find you. I would serve you." Cantirena turned her whole body to face him and bowed her head so far down that her forehead touched the ground. "I… name you as my ruler, oh great Emperor. I forsake my citizenship of Fynn for you. Allow me to show you my gratitude to you. Please."

Mateus stood up, smiling on the inside. That took even less effort than he thought it would. "I accept you and your ability into my force. Fail me, and I will treat you like any other member of my army."

Cantirena lifted herself just enough to see that Mateus was standing. "Wait…" she pleaded. "…step closer, please."

He did as she requested, and she bent down to kiss his boot. "You will accompany me to my next stop in Bafsk," he said. "But it comes at a price. I have one chore for you to do before we leave."

"I will do anything for my Emperor," Cantirena declared. "You have but to name it, and it will be done."

"Go through this town and kill every last citizen of Fynn you find," Mateus ordered. "…every single one. This country will be an example to all others." He was determined to test her loyalty. "They are at fault for killing your family, not I. If they never rose up against their rightful ruler, then they would not have had to be punished."

Cantirena kissed his boot a second time. "Your will be done, sire."

As she pulled herself to her feet and walked out of the tent, Mateus watched her. He laughed. "Next time, I have to remember to have her give me a blowjob before sending her out to kill her kin."


	3. Ch 1, Part 3

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all original characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fanfiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 3

Cantirena marched out of the tent. She had given her word that she would kill in the name of the Palamecian Emperor, and she intended to keep it. Tears flowed down her face, but she dare not let Mateus see it. What a tall order she had been given! She lived her entire life here in Fynn. She'd never left the town before in all her years of being alive. Everyone would know who she was, and that she was a traitor to the land of her birth. It didn't stop her resolve.

_I love that man,_ Cantirena thought. _I was going to give up everything to be with him when I found him. This was written by the fates._

Instead of giving the people any more torture by seeing one of their own having turned on them, she went into one of the old clothing stores and found herself a robe and cape with a hood big enough to hide who she was. She decided it would be easiest on her, as well as the townspeople. Cantirena gathered up all of her dark blue hair and braided it so it would be hidden under the hood. And then, because she couldn't stand stealing from the armor store, she placed a one hundred gil coin on the counter.

The rest happened so fast that she didn't remember a lot of it. Going into the biggest building in Fynn aside from the castle, and throwing her spells left and right, she lost herself amid the screams of men, women, and children. She remembered saying a few things in return, but what those words were did not stick to her memory. It wasn't until she had reached the final room of the building that she was called out of her auto-pilot mode.

"I… I am not of Fynn! I hold no grudge against His Highness, the Emperor of Palamecia!" the voice begged her to stop. She felt the warmth of fire at her fingertips, but it faded when those words fell upon her ears. Her master said to kill citizens of Fynn.

"You are not of Fynn?" she asked.

"Heavens no, I wear the seal of Kashuon! I am an emissary of Prince Scott, Lady Magician. I weave no plots whatsoever," the man cried. "Please, milady, I beg of you. Do not take my life."

Cantirena dropped her arms and said, "In exchange for not taking your life, you must do something for me."

"Anything, my lady!"

She reached inside her robe's pockets and pulled out a folded piece of paper. It must have been from when she was taking notes from her sessions with Minwu. Only the fates knew what that paper was doing in her pocket now, but it was good enough for her for what she had planned. "I wish for you to find the great mage Minwu and give him this parchment. Do not read it. Tell him only that the Dark Princess of the Palamecian Empire sends her regards."

"I… I will do just that," the man said, taking the letter from her hand. "Thank you for your mercy, and may long live Palamecia… Dark Princess."

Cantirena nodded. Maybe Minwu would find that paper, maybe he wouldn't. It was her way of saying goodbye. She didn't know if he was alive or not, and now it didn't matter. She even betrayed her mentor, who she looked up to for his loyalty and resolve. When she realized that it was too much to bear. She found it hard to breathe. "Peace," she said, turning around abruptly.

_What is done cannot be undone,_ Cantirena thought as she walked out of the building. _I have committed acts that are evil and malicious, and yet… _

Outside, there were two guards waiting, and behind them stood Emperor Mateus with a slight smile on his face. "Ahh, there you are," Mateus said. "You took a little longer than I thought you were going to need." He was once again wearing his crown and his cape. He looked more than ready to go to his next destination.

"Pay it no mind, Your Grace," Cantirena replied. "Let us make haste to our next task." She bowed her head a little to show him her respect.

…_and yet, as long as he looks at me like that, I cannot bring myself to stop._

"So we shall," Mateus agreed, extending his hand to her. "Come along. I've need for you in Bafsk."

Cantirena smiled, taking her lord's hand. "It will be my pleasure, sire."

They walked side by side, which was a rare thing for Mateus to allow. None of the knights had ever seen anything like that before. Mateus led her to a small airship, where they both climbed on with two of the knights. Then, it lifted off with the help of all four of its large propellers, and headed west.

It was Cantirena's first time on an airship, but she didn't have the time to enjoy it very much. Mateus let her look around a little bit. She wished she could show her sister what it was like to fly on an airship. She had to ask now that she thought about it.

"My lord," she said quietly. "May I ask something of you?"

Mateus nodded slightly. "Proceed."

"I've never been on an airship before. It made me think of my family. We all planned to one day take an airship ride. It made me think of… my sister. My twin sister, Clarisse. Please, sire, you have to tell me if she died during the assault on Fynn. I can't concentrate on what's ahead of me if-"

The Emperor looked straight at her, and without any hesitation, he said, "Another girl with the same color hair as yours died with a sword in her hand. She fought bravely." Then after a slight pause, he added, "Not that it matters how valiant she was. She raised her blade in defiance of her rightful ruler, and she paid the price for that."

Cantirena looked away from him, unable to hold her emotions inside. Her eyes welled up with tears. She couldn't handle hearing that, no matter what vows she gave. It was like he stabbed her through the heart with a dragon tooth. "Yes," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "She defied you. They… they all defied you."

"I believe it's raining," Mateus said.

What a perplexing thing to say. "Your Grace, there's barely a cloud in the sky."

"No," he insisted, grabbing her shoulder and making her turn around to face him. "This is rain." Mateus wiped under her eyes with his hand. "You do not weep for your enemies, be they of your decent or not. There is no other explanation for water to be on your face. This is _rain_."

She closed her eyes.

_I cannot cry ever again. Especially in front of Mateus. _Cantirena thought. _Palamecia is my home now. We are at war. I will not weep… for a traitor to the crown. _

"Yes, my Emperor, you are right. It is raining." Cantirena said quietly. "Forgive me for questioning you. You are never wrong."

"I know," Mateus said. "Come. We've some time before our ship lands." As he turned to leave, he took her hand again. "Unless you are directed otherwise, you are not to leave my side."

"As you will," Cantirena agreed, walking with him into the hull of the airship, wherein there was private quarters for the Emperor to rest while traveling. He drew her in, thrust her onto the bed, and took his place as her beloved ruler on top of where she lay.

It was surprising for Cantirena to realize that it was her first time having a man this close to her. She held no interest in any of the men in Fynn that were her age during her youth. She relished the fact that the one man she wanted to find had found her. There was no turning back now. Before, she could have walked away. She could have taken death over betraying everything she ever knew and loved. But now, she truly belonged to the Emperor of Palamecia.

But back in Altair, things were not so easy to deal with. Clarisse had a fight with both Firion and Hilda, trying to convince her to let her fight in the rebellion. If she wasn't going to be allowed to help them fight, she was going to get back up to Fynn on her own. She would see the prisoner's camp herself, and find her sister there. Clarisse was not going to take any of this treatment. Even Captain Borghen praised her ability. How could she go wrong?

Minwu wandered his way into the weapons shop. He stopped to talk to an old man sitting next to a table covered in hammers, and then walked over to see Clarisse was sharpening her sword. "Listen," he said. "If you wish to go back to Fynn to find your sister… it's going to be dangerous. I will not allow you to go alone."

Clarisse grunted, "Then I'll sneak out when you're not looking."

Minwu rolled his eyes. "What I mean is… I will go with you."

"What? Really?" she asked, smiling.

"Yes. I wish to retrieve my student from danger. She may have potential, but it is raw and untrained. If the Empire ever senses this and decides to put her to any use, she could very well be out of my reach. I fear her innocence will be lost at the Empire's hands… and that fact troubles me." Minwu was rarely emotional about his duty, but the gleam in his eyes told no lies to Clarisse. "I have no idea what foul magic the Empire has powering it. There never used to be monsters outside of towns before. The world itself seems to have been injected with evil. I also told you that our fates were connected, did I not?"

"Glad to have you support me," Clarisse said angrily. "Princess Hilda doesn't trust me, and Firion… he… he thinks I'm too weak."

Minwu said, putting his hands on top of hers. "He does not want you to share the same fate as your sister or your parents."

"What did they die for, if I do not take up their mantle and fight for them? Minwu! They died because we were all unaware and unassuming of the world around us. We had no idea that Palamecia was on a warpath. We can't let this continue!" Clarisse snapped at him. "…I'm so sorry, Minwu. I don't mean to take it out on you. I know you care about Cantirena."

"I _will_ save my student." Clarisse was impressed with Minwu's resolve. His inner spirit seemed as if it was burning inside him. She couldn't pinpoint if it was anger, worry, sadness, frustration, or something else that drove him to feel this way, but she wasn't going to question him. Cantirena might have been his student, but Clarisse respected Minwu for who he was and what he lived for.

"And I will save my sister," Clarisse said, standing up. She put her sword in its sheath and put all of her dark blue hair under a helmet that Tobul had given her. "If we're going, then let's do it."

"Aye," Minwu agreed.

They headed out of the weapon shop, only to bump into a fast-talkin' ninja wearing nothing but all black talking to Firion. Clarisse didn't even want to stop to talk to him, after the argument they had earlier. Minwu walked past them without a second glance.

"Paul," Firion said quickly. "Dude, we'll talk later."

"Hey, I'm always here to help the rebels, man! If you need something, just talk to me," Paul shouted at Firion. "I'm gonna crack the Emperor's safe myself. No one else can do it!"

"Yeah, sure, man," Firion said, chasing after Clarisse and Minwu. "Wait up, both of you."

"No. I'm not going to work with someone who doesn't trust me," Clarisse said angrily. "You stay here and watch over Princess Hilda like a good little boy, and I'm going to go find my sister."

"You can't just run off without protection, Clarisse. The land is full of monsters now. You saw them! Vines that come alive to bite the legs of passerby, there's goblins who look human but aren't quite, and ogres and wolves and horses that have gone mad! You can't think this is a good time to go!" Firion said. "I'll go to Fynn in your stead. You stay here and watch the princess!"

Minwu crossed his arms once a few moments of silence passed between them. "If you're done fighting…"

"Sorry, Minwu." Firion said, bowing his head a little.

"I hear that a lot lately," Minwu grunted. "Anyway, if you're done fighting amongst yourselves, I suggest we start moving. The sooner we get to Fynn, the sooner our fears will be laid to rest. I suppose it is good to prove yourself in the eyes of the princess so that she will trust you, as well as find what you must to be able to set your hearts at ease. Even I have my darkest thoughts to battle with inside my mind."

Firion looked outside the wall that surrounded the borders of Altair. "Then, let's get going. We aren't getting anywhere just standing here, squabbling over something we feel we must all do."


	4. Ch 1, Part 4

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all original characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fanfiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 4

Altair's land was barren. It used to have fields that stretched between the rivers of the north to the ocean directly to the east. Now it was full of all sorts of monsters that had been eating all the crops and using the foliage as shelter to reproduce. Clarisse wondered where all the typical normal animals had gone until Minwu made a comment about how animals are more sensitive to the world around them than humans are. Putting the clues together, it was easy to guess that they had all fled somewhere. The Palamecian Empire had to be stopped. Even the land itself was suffering because of this war.

_This is no mere political bout,_ Clarisse thought as the three of them hacked their way through what used to be a rice paddy. There were some weird creatures that looked like gigantic hornets that stood on their hind legs swarming everywhere. _The entire world has been turned up on its head._ She frowned, but it filled her with more resolve. _If you're hurt, Canti… oh Heaven forbid I find you hurt._

"Over the bridge and through the forest," Minwu said, "We'll come to the village of Galtea." He looked at both Firion and Clarisse. "The two of you look tired, and we've not traveled far. Perhaps we should rest."

"No!" Clarisse and Firion responded at once.

"Such determination," Minwu said gently. He wondered how far that determination would go. He used his staff to cast a barrier around each of them to help them resist any poison effects that the leg-biting vines and hornets tried to inflict with their bites and stings as they crossed the bridge.

After that, it was a quiet walk. They slew all the monsters who came their way, almost effortlessly. With the combined swordsmanship of Clarisse and Firion paired with Minwu's magic, they felt unstoppable. These monsters were chump change, though they knew for a fact that the knights that tore up the town were nothing to snort at. No one in the entire town could stop those things.

Galtea was not that far. They'd been walking for about half an hour before reaching the small white picket fence that surrounded the village. Minwu said he was going to go to one of the shops before the y left to Fynn, while Firion and Clarisse went to the inn to wait for him to finish his business.

"It used to never be so stressful to travel between towns like this," Firion said, sitting down at a table. "I never thought… ever… that it would be hard to go between Altair and Galtea."

"You… left the town before the attack?" Clarisse asked, sitting down across from him at the table.

"I guess you didn't know that I was born in Salamand, huh? My parents were travelers before we came to live in Fynn. I got to see all sorts of places when I was a little kid. My dad was a cartographer. He made maps and sold them to the people he met on his travels," Firion answered her question. "I didn't leave after my parents died, but yes, I did travel with them." He was starting to feel hungry. "Hold on a minute, Claire. Lemme ask something." He got up from his seat and went up to the innkeeper. She didn't look a day over twelve. "Hey there, little one, can I ask you something?"

The little girl was barely taller than the counter she worked at. "It's 10 gil to stay the night."

"That's not what I meant. I was wondering if I can order any food from you. I have gil to pay for it, if you're open," Firion said, though he wondered how someone who looked so inexperienced would be able to prepare a meal for incoming customers.

"Sorry, sir, but I don't have any food for you to order," she said weakly. "The person who went to get supplies for me from Fynn didn't come back this morning."

Firion frowned. "Oh, sweetheart, that's terrible."

The little girl tried to force a smile. "Don't worry about me, if that's what you're doing. My daddy got really sick yesterday and now I'm running the inn for him. The townspeople here are all aware of everyone's situation, and since there's fewer than twenty people in this entire village, we all come together like a family." She then pointed at Firion. "I've got an idea! Will you go to Fynn for me and get that lazy ingredients deliveryman back from town?"

Clarisse turned to see Firion's response. He swallowed and said, "Sure."

_Firion, why are you going to break that girl's heart? _ Clarisse thought, watching him from the table. _You can't honestly tell her that he's alive in Fynn right now! …there's no way in hell she doesn't know about what happened!_

A few moments later, Minwu came in. "There you are. I've been looking all over the village for you," he said, catching both Clarisse and Firion's attention. "Listen, in case something happens to me, I want you to take this." He handed a backpack to Firion. "This is an item pouch. It can hold every sort of thing inside, but it can only hold a limited amount of items. Use it to put extra weaponry in it or to carry herbs and potions, or special things you may need to keep safe."

Firion nodded. "Thank you, Minwu."

"What do you mean by 'every sort of thing'?" Clarisse asked curiously. "It sounds like it holds everyday ordinary stuff."

"No, you see…" Minwu reached into the bag, and pulled out what looked to be the end of a canoe. He kept pulling for a few minutes until he revealed that, yes, it was a full canoe which easily was big enough to hold four people. "…it can hold larger things, like this."

"Whoa!" Firion exclaimed. "That's really neat."

"Yes," Minwu said, putting it back inside the backpack. "It will make your travel effort so much easier if you have a place to put these kinds of things."

"Oh yeah, I agree," Clarisse said with a nod. "If we've gotten all we can, let's head up to Fynn all ready."

Minwu stopped them for a moment once they walked out the door of the inn. "There is something else I wished to tell you. I met a refugee of Fynn who says there is someone who escaped the Empire's hold for prisoners, but they were too wounded for traveling."

"Then Cantirena might be there, waiting for us!" Clarisse shouted. "We must go, now!"

The three of them walked outside Galtea's borders, and when Firion was about to walk to the west to circle around the mountain so he could reach Fynn, Minwu had a better idea. Lake Fynn was right there, not even a five minute walk from the village of Galtea. He pulled out his canoe and sat it on the water. This was going to be much quicker than walking. Once they crossed the lake, they were only mere steps away from the cobblestone streets of Fynn.

"Home," Firion breathed out, watching Minwu take the time to put the canoe back in the item pouch. "Honestly, I'm afraid to go back in there."

"It will hurt to see Fynn again for all of us," Minwu said quietly. "But it will hurt worse if we let our pain get in the way of what we come here to do." He stood up, strapping the item pouch on his back. "Let us waste no more time."

_Hold on, _Clarissa thought. _We're almost there, Sis. Hang in there._

The town of Fynn was quiet. So quiet, it almost hurt. There was still blood all over the buildings and the walkways. No one bothered cleaning that up. However, there were no dead bodies anywhere. The only people any of the three could detect were that of the Empire's Dark Knights. Most of them guarded doors. They knew all ready that they weren't going to be able to take those guys down, so they weren't going to bother.

"There's one door over there," Minwu whispered. "It's not guarded."

Without even discussing it, the three snuck through the bushes and waited until no guards were walking around that doorway. They leapt over a brick wall, and ran into the building as quickly as they could.

Inside, it was full of Dark Knights of the Empire, drunk and not paying attention to anything but the mugs of beer in their hands. In the back was a single man wearing a red outfit. Firion darted behind a few of the imperial guards, leaving Clarisse and Minwu to figure out a way for themselves.

"Hey," the bartender said. "Don't get behind the counter. Order like a normal person, would you?"

Firion remembered the password, and whispered it so no one else could hear it. "Wild Rose."

"You're with the rebels? Gods bless you!" The bartender smiled and whispered back, "There is someone down here through this secret door. Hurt real bad. Escaped from the Emperor's grasp. Oh, wait a minute. You know a man named Minwu, right?"

Firion nodded. "He's here with me." He waved to the front of the bar, signaling for the rest of his party to join him back there. "Minwu, this man asked for you."

Minwu stepped closer. "I am he."

The bartender reached into his pocket. "I was told to give you this," he said, putting a folded up piece of paper into the mage's hands. "It's from a magician who calls herself the 'Dark Princess'. Now that's vicious woman with a heart of stone." He then gave the three a salute. "Long live the Wild Roses. I'm heading back to Galtea."

"Hey, since you're heading that way, do me a favor and take some of the supplies in this bar to the innkeeper in Galtea. She's running out of food to feed people in town, let alone customers," Firion said to the bartender, slipping him a few gil. "It's all right. We'll take care of the rest."

"Aye," the bartender gave a nod, grabbed whatever food he could carry, and ran out the front door when none of the guards were looking.

Clarisse rushed into the hidden door, almost falling over her own feet trying to get to the end of the passage as quickly as possible. When she got there, all she found was a dimly lit room with one bed inside.

Someone was laying in that bed. Minwu and Firion came down the stairs. All three of them heard whoever it was cough several times.

"Has my own emissary… turned me in?" the voice asked. Clarisse frowned. That was not the voice of Cantirena. "Gonna… give me to the Imperials? Do me a favor… and kill me first…"

Minwu walked over to the bed and used the crystal tip of his staff to bring a little more light to the room. "Bahamut Almighty," he whispered. "Prince Scott."

"Wait… is that you, Minwu?" the man in the bed asked. Firion and Clarisse came closer to see. The man had long blonde hair and striking blue eyes. He had the face of a proud warrior. "Aye, I am Scott of Kashuon, not that it matters much anymore…" He coughed again. "…damn it all. Minwu, I must warn you. The reason… we were so caught off guard? Borghen… Borghen sold us out. He's… he's a general of the Empire now…"

Clarisse's eyes widened. "What?! My _teacher_?! You… you must be mistaken, Prince. It could not have been Borghen!"

"Believe… what you will, my words… ring true," Scott said.

Clarisse stepped forward. "I must ask you. Have you heard of my twin sister, Cantirena? She has hair the same color as I. She's Minwu's star student."

"There was a maiden… who we thought had died… she had that same hair color and carried… what must have been a spellbook… The Emperor, he was there, personally… I was surrounded by a group of Imperials, I could not see… by the time I could see again…" Scott shook his head. "The lady was gone."

Clarisse frowned. She looked at Firion, trying to hold back her tears. Firion put his arm around her shoulder to offer some comfort, but there was little anyone could do.

"You must do me… a favor." Prince Scott held out a ring and placed it into Minwu's hands. "My brother, Gordon, this is his… you must tell him to… have more faith in himself. And tell Hilda… that I love her." After a slight pause, he shook his head. "No. Don't carry that last message. The words… of a dying man… would only bring her… such pain. She deserves better… than a life of mourning me."

Minwu put his hand on Scott's forehead. "We will do as you ask, Your Majesty," he said carefully.

"Now, if you'll… excuse me, I…" Scott said. "I am so very tired." He leaned back into his pillow, closed his eyes, and breathed no more.

"We must go back to Altair," Minwu gave the order quietly. "We will do as the prince asked." He took the piece of paper the bartender had given him and opened it. "…this… is… Cantirena's handwriting. These are notes from a lecture I gave three days ago."

Firion was confused. "Wait, he was given that by some Imperial witch, right? Why would she have…?"

Minwu put it back into his pocket. "Borghen," he muttered. "That conniving count knew who she was. Everyone in the castle knew that Cantirena was my pupil. If Borghen slipped a word to the Emperor about her extraordinary potential, then he must have taken her. Giving that sorceress the bartender spoke of this note…" That was what he feared the most. He looked after Cantirena as if she was the daughter he was to never have. She was the source of much of his pride and joy. This would not stand. "…they knew we were going to come back looking for her. Or, Borghen knew that_ I_ would come looking for her."


	5. Ch 1, Part 5

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all original characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fanfiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 5

Bafsk smelled like a mix of coal, tar, and metal even from inside the airship. It was very obvious when Mateus' ship landed. Mateus noticed that Cantirena had fallen asleep next to him. His head ached, as if lightning was surging through it. His visit here to check on the progress of his Dreadnaught Warship was going to have to be quick. He needed to get back home to his castle to rest. He tapped Cantirena on the shoulder.

"Rise," he ordered, stepping off of the bed.

Cantirena hardly knew what was going on. She hadn't had the time to really relax, so when it came along, she took it. Before she had the chance to assess her situation, she rolled off the bed and landed on the floor with a thud. "Many pardons, Your Grace," she said, pulling her dress on properly. She didn't want things exposed that shouldn't have been, after all. "I did not mean to-"

Mateus lifted his hand, and she stopped speaking. "You need not explain," he said curtly. "You wouldn't be of much use to anyone if you are exhausted. Now, there are a few things I wish to address before we start on the tasks that I need done here. When we are together in public, unless I give you permission to, you are not to speak…" Then he cracked a tiny grin. "But when we are alone, I do not mind hearing you."

"Understood," Cantirena said, bowing her head.

"Otherwise," the Emperor continued, "I've brought you here to lead the construction on my warship. You will be put in charge, and upon its completion, you will come to Castle Palamecia and report to me directly."

"You want me to lead, sire?" she asked.

"I'd expect nothing less of a Palamecian _princess_," Mateus said, stepping closer to her. "Which is what you will be if you can lead this effort with minimal accidents."

"My lord, I am honored, but I am not sure if I-"

"The law states I cannot marry anyone but royalty," he added. "If I were to make you into royalty, then…" Mateus looked away from her. "…the possibilities are endless."

_Did he just say that? Is that really what I heard? _She thought curiously._ That was a warped confession, but… but…_

Cantirena smiled at that idea. She wished she could run up to him and hug him, though she knew that wasn't the best idea. "Your ship will be completed with no mishaps, my Emperor. I swear it. This world will know of your great glory!" She grabbed the hood she took from Fynn and placed it over her head.

"Excellent," Mateus said. "Come, there is some things I must do before I leave." He opened the door to outside the ship, and they walked up the stairs up to the top of the hull.

Mountains towered above the tiny village outside. It looked no bigger than Galtea. Right next to the little town was an airship that looked like it could eat about two thousand of the little one they were standing on right then. And he said it wasn't _finished_ yet?

Cantirena followed him as he walked down the steps down to the ground. He was greeted by a large group of workers, who looked like they were being forced to bow before him at swordpoint.

_Of course they weren't going to bow before him willingly_, Cantirena thought. _He… is trying to take over the entire world._ As she looked into the group, there were children not over the age of five in there. _Child labor, too? I know it's the most effective means, but… _Her heart ached for the children.

Mateus turned around to notice that she was eyeing the crowd. "Does something trouble you?" he asked. "This is your workforce. People of all sizes to do all sorts of tasks…" he put his hand on her shoulder. "If you cannot do this, tell me now. I will find some other to lead this team."

"No, sire," Cantirena whispered. "I gave my word."

_I promised to serve Mateus,_ she reminded herself. _This is nothing. At least he isn't killing the children. He hasn't taken swords to the young ones. Dictators in our history have done much worse than my Emperor._

"Dutiful workers," Mateus said loudly to address the group of workers who were on their knees. "Your Emperor is pleased with the work thus far on the Dreadnaught Warship, but time runs short. I need this finished within the week. I leave the Dark Princess here to lead. Her words are my words." He nodded. "Do _not_ fail me. If this is not completed in a week… all of you, including my emissary herself… will pay the price." He then turned away. "I leave."

"My lord," Cantirena said quickly.

He turned and glared at her as if to remind her where she was. She did say she wasn't going to speak while in public with him without his express permission. "I_ leave_."

Cantirena bowed before him.

_You haven't even told me what needs to be done to finish this. I've never built an airship before! _ She thought angrily. _You've given me malnourished, exhausted, unskilled prisoners of war for workers! I love you more than I can say, but even I know… even I know that you're sending all of these people to be slaughtered!_

"Do what I have charged you with, and you shall have your reward," Mateus said, walking back onto the smaller airship. Everyone heard the propellers flutter heavily in the wind before the airship took off, which was when all of the workers were allowed to stand again.

_But… how will I actually manage to do that?_ She thought, standing back up.

"Milady Princess," a dark knight said behind her. "As the Emperor's personal eyes and ears here, please let yourself take comfort in the fact that we work all of them as hard as possible to get the maximum amount of output."

Cantirena shook her head. Something had to be done about this. "Is this how the Emperor wishes it to be done?" she asked.

"No. This plan was started by General Borghen," the guard answered.

"Wait! _General _Borghen?!" she couldn't believe her ears. That man was her sister's personal teacher. He actually survived Fynn? Impossible. If he had survived Fynn, as a member of the Royal Guard, he would have gone with Princess Hilda and her entourage. Cantirena put her hands on her hips. "If Borghen made the plans, then they are not the Emperor's plans. I am aware of what the Emperor desires, and I will direct the plans from now on. Is that clear?"

"Yes, Princess," the guard said, giving her a salute.

Cantirena had a lot to process but not a lot of time to do it in. It was time for that brain that Minwu always commended to be put to use. How would Minwu accomplish something that Hilda ordered in such strenuous conditions, if she decided she was going on a warpath and wanted to take over the entire world? She tried to imagine her teacher's constant calm mindset. He never got upset at her for anything, no matter how much she goofed up. Cantirena needed that inner strength.

Minwu's words echoed in her mind. _The first rule of being a white mage is to love all people, no matter who they are or where they are from. We are all creations of our Goddess Cosmos, and we should all be treated as such. If you see someone in need, you help them. Now, I don't know if you want to be a white mage, but if you want to be, you must take this rule to heart._

"All right. I want a status report. Show me what's been done and what needs to be done," she said promptly. "In the meantime, let all of the workers rest. Allow them a meal and a nap during our downtime."

"But-"

She growled, "Listen, soldier, if we're going to appease His Grace and have the least amount of mishaps in this endeavor, we need the people to be in their top condition. If they can rest and eat, they will work much better than they will now."

"Milady-"

"My words are the Emperor's words!" Cantirena yelled at him. "You would not talk back to the Emperor, would you?"

"Never. Many pardons, princess, it's just that we have never been led by someone who stops to feed the workers before," the guard said carefully. "Please, forgive me."

"Perhaps this is why you've never made much progress," she grunted at him. "I know that the Emperor would appreciate it if people would willingly work for him and accept him as their ruler, instead of him having to force them."

_Though, with the way he was… I'm not sure if he'd actually care if he had to force them or not. It's less about him right now, more about saving the people who he's practically threatened to kill if they don't finish this project before his deadline…_


	6. Ch 1, Part 6

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all original characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fanfiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 6

The sun was on its way down, and knowing how the monsters were ravaging the countryside, Minwu advised Clarisse and Firion to stay at the inn in Galtea. He could feel them stirring more than they did in the daytime. Yes, they had to get back to Fynn to report to Princess Hilda as soon as possible, but the wise mage decided that it would be done safely. After all, the three of them managed to sneak into Fynn, which was heavily guarded by Imperial Troops. It was worth the trouble.

The inn had food to serve thanks to the bartender that gave Minwu that parchment carrying all he could on his way out. Clarisse and Firion helped the little girl who was running the Galtea inn make enough food to feed everyone in not only their traveling party, but for her family as well.

Minwu ate, but while conversation about the state of the world kept going at the table, he got up and walked outside, letting the cold air from Lake Fynn hit him. He needed time to be alone. He found an old stump of a tree that must have been somewhere over two hundred years old and sat on it, using the jewel on the tip of his staff to create just enough light to see the parchment he pulled out of his pocket.

His assessment before was not wrong. It was nothing more than class notes in Cantirena's very curly handwriting. The lecture he was giving that day was about feeling the flow of one's inner power. To any other person, it would have been rather meaningless. It was cleverly given to the bartender. Someone knew Minwu was going to get this paper. Someone wanted Minwu to know that Cantirena was indeed out of his reach, be her a prisoner or all ready dead.

_It feels like only yesterday, but it was ten years ago to this very day. _Minwu thought, closing his eyes. _I remember hearing the signal from the town outside all the way from inside the castle. A building was on fire. King Gilbert requested that I go and assist, so I went. The townspeople were frightened. Apparently, the fire had come from almost nowhere. Right outside were a couple holding their daughter, crying and screaming out. They had another child who was missing. With a water spell, I was able to douse the fire. I stayed there to help many of the men take apart the rubble, and who did I find under all of it? A young Cantirena lay face down with her hands over her head, protected by a bright blue barrier. She was chanting. She didn't even notice that the fire was gone. I never knew a six year old child that could cast a Shell spell in all my years. I knew then that our destinies were linked._

Minwu opened his eyes and looked at the paper again. "Since that day when I declared you my student, I have watched you grow. It was like having a daughter of my own, in a way," he said, as if she was sitting there next to him. "I will never father my own."

When a hand tried to reach for Minwu, he shot up and thrust his staff back to hit whoever it was. The only person he found there was Clarisse, now with a fairly large bump on her forehead.

"Thanks, Minwu," she grunted. "It's nice to see you, too."

"I was lost in thought," he replied, sitting back down on the stump. "I forgot where I was." Then he motioned for her to come closer, and using his hands, he healed the bump almost instantly.

"I heard you talking to my sister," Clarisse said gently. "She may not be able to hear you directly, but she knows you care about her. She admires you. Your words will always find a way to her."

"You believe she is alive," Minwu said.

"Of course I do!" Clarisse exclaimed, putting her hands on her hips. "If you think about it, that piece of paper there is pretty much proof."

He shook his head. "Explain your reasoning," he said in the exact way he that he had said to Cantirena during every single one of their lessons in the past.

"Borghen betrayed us, according to Prince Scott. He was jealous of you and your rank within the royal court. He knows that Cantirena was your personal student. Everyone in the castle and in town knew that you were her teacher. You probably don't need me to tell you this. Cantirena is my twin, but she's much different from me. She had a hard time making friends and finding a place to belong. You gave her that. You had patience for her, more than anyone else." Clarisse is explained it the best she could.

"And?" Minwu asked, waiting for her to finish.

"It's like… the captain wanted to challenge you." She said. "It's hard for me to even think that my teacher could have betrayed Fynn, but when you put all the points together, they make a lot of sense. Borghen became my teacher after you became Canti's teacher. It made me happy that someone in the royal court would take interest in me, too, and it made my parents that much more happy that both of their children were of such talent. No one even expected it." Clarisse sat next to Minwu, her rump landing in a soft patch of grass. "I bet he has her locked away and left that paper as a challenge directly to you: Come save her, Minwu."

"I plan to do just that," Minwu replied. "I plan to find her and save her. At this point, she is my child. I will do everything in my power to bring her home safely."

_Who knows what terrible things the Imperials have done to you?_ He thought. _Treating you like a prisoner of war? Starving you? Goddess forbid, forcing themselves upon you?_

"Minwu?"

"Hmm."

"I've never seen that kind of look in your eyes. The one you had just now."

"…let's just say I think I've discovered exactly what the king meant by 'Fatherly Rage' when referring to the princess," Minwu said, looking down at her.

"Hey, Minwu."

"Hmm."

"It's okay that you feel that way. I know that Canti would be honored to know you consider her your daughter," Clarisse said calmly. "I know I am."

They sat there for a little while, under the faint light provided by Minwu's staff. They didn't talk about much, but Minwu didn't think they needed to.

"_Teacher! Ohhhh, Teacher Minwu! I made this for you."_

"_Oh… it's a wreath of flowers."_

"_Yep!"_

"…_now when did you get the time to gather flowers? You were supposed to be helping cleaning up the mess that you made, Cantirena."_

"_I did help with picking up the mess. But while I was picking up the broken pieces of glass, I also picked up the flowers that were in the vase I knocked over. I didn't know what else to do with them, so I wove them together. Because I… I wanted to say I'm sorry."_

"_It's all right. I forgive you. Next time, be more careful."_

Minwu opened his eyes to see that he was inside the inn, in one of the beds inside the room they rented for the night. Clarisse snored in the bed across from his. Firion sat up next to a nightstand lit by one solitary candle.

"Can you not sleep?" Firion asked. "We'll be face to face with the Princess first thing tomorrow morning."

"I don't even remember falling asleep at all," Minwu said. "When did I-"

"I carried you," Firion answered his question. "You've been lost in thought since we left Fynn. It would be a stupid question to ask you if you plan to stay with us until we find that traitor and find Canti, right?"

"I have sworn to serve the Fynn Royal Family. I do not intend to break my vows. However, I… I hope that my duty aligns with my personal feelings," Minwu said, feeling his body pull him back to sleep even though he wanted to stay awake longer.

Firion blew out the candle and turned over. He was sleeping in a matter of seconds after he was turned onto his side.

The next morning came as any other morning did. Clarisse woke up before anyone else. The bartender from Fynn decided to stay at the inn to help run it, so things in the inn were much more organized. She woke up both Firion and Minwu and after breakfast, they were on the way back to Altair to report back to the Princess.


	7. Ch 1, part 7

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all original characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fanfiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 7

Luckily at sunrise there were hardly any monsters out and about, so they were able to travel quickly between the hamlet of Galtea and Altair. Altair was busy when Firion, Clarisse, and Minwu arrived the next morning. The townsfolk had a farmer's market going out around the fountain in town square, and it seemed like everyone was buying, selling, or eating the fresh produce. Even the refugees had a chance to enjoy the finer things that morning.

Minwu's first order of business was to deliver Prince Scott's ring, so he immediately headed for the rebel base when he noticed that Firion and Clarisse were starting to get distracted. He did not even notice that he had lost his composure as he marched through the hallway. Many of the rebel s had offered him salutes, and he didn't even notice. They all seemed confused about it. Today was apparently a happy day. Why would Minwu, the most peaceful and calm of people, have such a glare in his eyes?

"Hey, wait!" Firion shouted at Minwu, snapping him out of his angry stare. "We've gotta give a report, too."

"I don't have time to dawdle," Minwu said. "If you are coming, then kindly keep up."

"Who thought a mage could walk so fast?" Clarisse groaned, trying to catch up to Minwu as quickly as she could. "What lit a fire under your ass?"

"You will see," he answered once Firion and Clarisse were standing next to him. Minwu knew what was coming. He was going to be scolded for leaving without telling anyone, and he was sure he was going to be punished for it. But that didn't matter. There were things that needed to be done.

Firion opened the door to the makeshift throne room. Hilda stood up instantly, looking weak from sheer worry. The three of them bowed before her.

"What happened to the three of you?!" the princess asked, putting her hands on her hips. "I was so worried that I did not sleep! Minwu, please, _speak_."

Minwu looked at Firion and nodded slightly. Firion stood up and pulled out Prince Scott's ring from the item pouch. "I don't think I have to," he said when Hilda's eyes locked onto the ring. "We went back to Fynn."

"That… that ring belongs to the heir of Kashuon!" Hilda said. Her legs shook so much that she couldn't stand up anymore. She fell back into her throne. "So… so Scott is…"

"He was gravely wounded before he managed to escape the Imperials," Clarisse said quietly. "We couldn't save him."

"Did… did he say anything?" Hilda asked, her eyes burning from all the tears she held back.

"No, not at all," Clarisse said, looking down at the floor.

Hilda nodded. She wiped her eyes and sat there for a few minutes, doing all she could to hold her composure. After a few moments, when she felt like she could speak again without breaking down into an incomprehensible, emotional mess, she sat up straight and gave the group a smile. "You're brave, both of you. Firion, Clarisse. You've proven yourselves to be very capable, having brought that back. The Wild Rose Rebellion could use your strength and courage. Please, will you join in our fight?"

"Of course!" both Firion and Clarisse said proudly.

"Oh, Clarisse, what of your sister?" Hilda asked.

"She wasn't there. There wasn't a single prisoner being kept in Fynn," Clarisse replied.

"She might have been taken to Bafsk, where the Empire is building their warship," Hilda thought aloud. "The Dreadnaught is supposedly the largest flying fortress anyone has ever seen in the history of our world. Spies have said that there have been many prisoners of war taken there to help construct it."

"Then we leave, now!" Cantirena shouted. "We'll stop them and save Cantirena today!"

"Do not rush into a fight you cannot win," Minwu said sternly. "Listen to me. You need to prepare for that kind of adventure before you even think about attempting it."

"But Minwu, we want to save her as quickly as possible!"

"Could you take on a Dark Knight?" Minwu asked. "No. We had to avert being seen because we are not equipped properly for that kind of opponent. We need better weaponry and armor. And even when we have that, we don't know a single thing about how airships work."

"That would be Cid's area of expertise," Hilda said. "He once was a trusted member of our royal court, but after he invented the airship, his heart longed for nothing but the sky. If we could find him, we could ask him how to destroy it." She sighed. "However, Minwu, you make a very good point. All of the weapons the imperial soldiers had in town were made of Mythril, which is mined up north in Salamand. Firion, I want you to go to Salamand and speak to Josef, the man I have charged with mining the mythril, and bring it back here so that our smiths can arm our troops better. If you need to know anything more about mythril, go talk to Tobul in the weapon smith's shop."

"All right, we'll get right on it," Firion said.

Clarisse and Firion started to leave, but Minwu just stood there, looking at the princess.

"Are you coming, Minwu?" Clarisse asked.

"I will meet you at the smithy," Minwu said. "Go and get the information and supplies we need."

Clarisse saluted him and turned around to leave. "Then that's where we'll wait for you."

Minwu didn't watch them leave. He just had his eyes locked onto Hilda's. Once the door was closed and Minwu knew that they were no longer in earshot, he took in a deep breath. "Princess, I need to request something personal."

"You have been nothing but royal to my family for years. What can I do for you?" Hilda asked. "I will do whatever is in my power."

Minwu got down onto his knees. "I know that after I return from Salamand with those two, you will want me to stay here. I wish to accompany them, at least until Cantirena has been found."

"You sound serious," Hilda said carefully.

"More than I ever have been," Minwu answered.

Hilda smiled. "You have my permission to find your student and bring her back to safety. The poor dear never had much combat experience, so she's at a disadvantage out there, wherever she is. I will allow you to travel with Firion and Clarisse. It's all right. I understand. You love her."

"I do," Minwu said, standing back up. "Thank you for understanding, Princess. I owe you for your patience and understanding."

"You owe no such thing," Hilda said. "We have owed you more. This is the first time you've ever made a personal request since you joined our court." She pointed at the door. "Get going. Your youthful comrades need you."

"Aye," Minwu said. He walked out of the rebel base feeling a bit more relieved. Hilda understood. She was right about the fact that he had never asked for anything before. He didn't enter the service of Fynn's Royal Family to take advantage of the system, after all.

_Be strong, Cantirena._


	8. Ch 1, part 8

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all original characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fanfiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 8

Walking through the different floors of the gargantuan Dreadnaught, Cantirena felt faint. From what was explained to her by the guards who were showing her the progress made on the ship, the fuel used to run the warship was burnable only by the precious Sunfire which was kept in a shrine in Kashuon. Upon reflection, now she knew why the twin princes of Kashuon, Scott and Gordon, were both staying at Fynn castle up until the massacre.

_Kashuon's castle is home to the only torch in the world that can hold Sunfire, _Cantirena remembered in thought. _Minwu spoke of it during a geography lesson. The proud warriors of Kashuon have defended the ancient castle which holds the sacred flame since the days of our ancestors. The way the fire was originally created is no longer known by the general people, but the flame is not allowed to die out. From what Minwu said, the castle was built around the Sunfire itself. They treated it as a blessing from the Goddess._

Still, that didn't change anything. Cantirena hated the smell of the fuel of the ship. It was stagnant. Rotten. The whole body of the ship was made of mythril, and there was not a single window in the entire body to air out that intense stink.

"Milady princess," the guard said. "Is something the matter?"

"I am not used to such fumes," Cantirena replied. "It is enough to knock a person over."

"Aye," the guard said, "That's why the general never stayed in here very long. He fainted after being in here for twenty minutes."

_Is there a such thing as too much industrialization? I come from a country town that prides itself on agriculture and fishing. The closest we had to a machine was a damn canoe…_

"Whatever happened to that Borghen, anyway?" Cantirena asked.

"He was transferred, since he wasn't getting any work done here. The Emperor was extremely displeased and sent him on another assignment. I figured he'd find someone else to come here to lead this project," the guard said. "No offense intended, milady."

"That's not offensive," she said. "Let's focus on what's important, which is getting this work done. The sooner it's done, the sooner everyone can move on with their lives."

"Yes, princess," the guard bowed his head. "Where should we start?"

"When the hour turns, I want you to gather up half of the workforce and begin finishing the hull immediately."

"Half, milady?"

Cantirena nodded. "Yes. Only half. We will switch out the two work forces, giving them equal time to work and rest. Every 12 hours we will switch them." She put her hands on her hips and added, "The more efficiently they work, the quicker the project will be done. We do want the Emperor to see that we diligently support him in all we do."

"Of course! All Glory to Palamecia!"

_You know, if nothing else, I can get them to go along with what I suggest based on that alone. I hate having to use it as a motivator, but… would they listen to me otherwise? Probably not. I haven't exactly proven myself yet._

Cantirena gave a salute. "We'll do one major task at a time. When each thing is completed, we will move on to the next task."

"Understood," the guard said, turning to walk away.

Each step taken inside that ship made a loud clanking noise that could be heard all throughout. Right now, it was empty save a few of the Dark Knights. The same knights that decimated Fynn and killed Cantirena's parents were right there, and she was working with them. The more she thought about it, the more she needed to walk outside. Clear her brain from both that terrible smell and from looking at those dastardly knights. She felt much more at ease the moment she could feel the wind.

_I know this will not forgive me for what I did in Fynn,_ she thought, sitting down on the grass outside. _I know… what I did… was wrong..._

She looked around, then she put her head down.

_I know… what I did was wrong…_

"Why has the work stopped?" a voice asked from somewhere nearby. The sound of rustling grass coming closer meant that someone "The Emperor will not be pleased to hear about this little mishap. I guess that princess of his is usele-"

Cantirena stood up quickly. She knew that voice very well. "Speak ill of his majesty's emissary, and he will not take kindly to it," she said coldly. "Who are you?"

"The _General._"

She knew exactly who it was. The famed Captain of Fynn's Royal Guard and her sister's private teacher, Borghen, wore medals and fringe befitting a hero, but he carried himself like a shriveled up husk of a man. He hardly had any of the strength he showed before the attack on Fynn. Clearly he carried some guilt in his heart.

"And who, might I ask, are _you_?" he barked at her.

Cantirena didn't know how to respond to that at first. "I am the emissary of His Grace, The Emperor," she replied.

"So you're the one I hear all of them whispering about," Borghen said, walking closer to her. "The Emperor's personal _whore_ has come to direct us all in this large endeavor."

"Who whispers such accusations, other than you?" she asked.

"Why, all of the troops in the barracks have referred to you as such," he replied slyly. "I have tried to tell them to keep such idle rumors at bay, but they won't listen to me."

_I can see why they wouldn't,_ Cantirena thought. _You sniveling little… _

She shrugged. All the things she wanted to tell him, she couldn't say anything. There was no way she was going to let herself be known to anyone other than Mateus himself. He betrayed everything he had in Fynn for a command in the Palamecian Army. He turned his back on her sister, Clarisse, who admired him.

"Rumors are just that," Cantirena said, turning to go back in the ship. "I suggest that if you do not wish to be put to work, you leave the area."

"I do not _need_ to work!" Borghen snapped angrily. "I am a _General_ of the Palamecian Empire!"

"I was told that you were reassigned to oversee the Mythril Mines in Salamand."

"Aye, I was!" he shouted. "I had this project under total control! What the hell did the Emperor need _you_ to come here for?"

She put her hands on her hips. "To show you how it is done." Cantirena walked back into the airship. "Get to Salamand!"

"The Dark Princess, hmm?" Borghen asked, slumping off in the opposite direction. "Something about her seems very familiar… I'm pretty sure I heard that voice before. Somewhere."

The hour had turned, and the guards were bringing in the workers.

"All right," she said loudly. "You've had time to rest. We're all on the clock. Give me your best for the next twelve hours, and we'll have the other team come in while you rest."

One of the workers walked over to her. "You mean, you're going to let us… rest?"

Cantirena nodded. "But of course. You won't be able to work efficiently without being rested well enough. I hope knowing this you'll work as hard as you're able."

"Hey, you! Get back in line!" a guard shouted at the one who strayed from his post.

"No need to be like that," Cantirena said. "Do what you can. The Emperor will know of your effort. I assure you."

"Then I will do what I can!" the guard replied, walking back over to where he was originally stationed.

She smiled. "Let's get moving! I want to see the hull completed within the day, if possible!"

_Mateus, just wait. I will prove to you my devotion, but at the same time, it will not cost a single worker's life while I am in charge. I hope they will become faithful to you through me. All glory to you, my Emperor._

Meanwhile, across the world, Mateus was in his castle. The castle was the capital of the Empire of Palamecia, which wasn't much aside from craggy mountains surrounded by a vast, empty desert far away from every other country in the world. The skies above Palamecia swirled about with dark clouds constantly. No one who lived there had seen the sun since Mateus had ascended the throne after his father passed away.

He sat on his throne almost hunched over in pain from his throbbing headache. He was alone in his misery, as he had left his newest toy in charge of building him yet another new toy. He sat there for hours, half asleep, half pondering the next step in his plan for world conquest.

A woman came down the hallway, running as fast as she could. "My son," she called. "Mateus, I am sorry I missed your arrival."

Mateus glared at the woman who called him by his name. "Mother," he grunted. "I was not expecting you to wait for me."

"Mateus," she said, coming to his side. "I worry for you."

"There is nothing to worry about," he said. "I will have all that belongs to me."

"Yes, about that…" she put her hands on his, and pulled away from her. "…I do not know if declaring war on the entire world is the right way to do it."

Mateus turned to look at her, and she gasped loudly. His eyes glowed red for a few seconds, and it looked like a part of his crown was _moving_. Reacting to her presence, even. "Do you question the Emperor's methods?" he asked angrily.

"Heavens no!"

A voice came from down the hall. "Milady Airu! Your Majesty! Message from Bafsk!"

"Bafsk?" Mateus said quietly. "Bring it." When the letter reached his hands, he opened it quietly. "Well, well. Such _promise_."

"What is it?" Airu asked curiously. "What are you doing, my son? What happened to you?! Where is my gentle son? What have you done to him?"

"Get out of my sight!" Mateus shouted at her, pushing her away. "Take her to her tower." He watched the guards escort her out of the throne room. "Excellent… The world between will belong to the demon king, and from here, Heaven is just a stone's throw away from overtaking."


	9. Ch 1, part 9

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all original characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fanfiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 9

Altair's weapon shop was full of patrons that afternoon. Tobul, however, did not look like he was in the best of spirits. His long white beard may have covered his wrinkles, but it did not hide his weariness. Even though there were many people coming through due to the Farmer's Market going on that day, not a single blade had sold. Firion and Clarisse had come to talk to Tobul, but the old man did not respond to anything. He seemed distant and distraught.

"Grandpa!" a young girl called from behind the counter. "Hey, Grandpa!"

Tobul grunted as he turned to look at her. She must not have been a day over sixteen. "What do you want, Krystal? Can't you see I'm busy?" he shuffled off to a corner of the building, sitting next to a table with a sharpening stone.

"Busy ignoring customers…" Krystal muttered. "All ya'll better clear outta here. When he gets like this, no one can get through to him…"

"Well, what's wrong?" Firion asked. "Can we help? We really need to talk to Master Tobul."

Krystal came from behind the counter, putting her hands on her hips. "The old man just doesn't wanna talk to anyone," she said. "Sometimes I think it might be my fault."

"Why would that be?" Clarisse asked.

"Well…" Krystal looked away sadly. "…I had to come live with him yesterday."

"Wait!" Clarisse shouted. "You're Fynn's weapon smith's daughter!"

"And you're Borghen's student, Clarisse," Krystal replied in turn. "Then there's Firion, the friendly neighborhood hero…" she looked around. "Wait, you always had someone else with you, too. Your sister, is she not with you?"

Clarisse shook her head. "The Imperials got her," she said quietly. "That's why I've joined the rebellion. Our first assignment has to do with Master Tobul, and I would greatly appreciate it if he would just give us a few moments of his time."

"Like Daddy," Krystal said. She seemed like she wanted to ask it, but it didn't come out like a question. It sounded more like she understood completely. "That's why I'm joining the rebellion, too! I can't fight or travel long distances, but I will help make our troops the best weapons in the world!"

"Oh, shut up! You're just a girl!" Tobul shouted at her. "The rebellion is no place for someone like you, Krystal!"

"No, Grandpa… I won't stand by and watch the world get devoured by this war! The Imperials took my daddy, and since I can't fight, I'll do what I can do!" Krystal pounded her fist on the counter. "This isn't just a grown up's war. This is everyone's war!"

"Such conviction," a voice said from the door. Everyone looked to see that it was Minwu coming in. "Master Tobul, if I may speak to y-"

"You may not, court mage." Tobul groaned angrily.

"We've tried being nice all ready," Clarisse said, shrugging.

Minwu walked up to the old man and whispered, "Wild Rose."

Tobul smiled and pointed to Krystal. "Close the door, girl. Now. Lock it from the inside," his voice was extremely hushed from his normal volume. When he heard the door click, he continued. "So, you three are with Hilda, hmm? I had no way of tellin' if anyone in the shop during the festival is a spy or not. I could not take any chances."

Krystal stood next to the door, watching outside from the keyhole. "Still no excuse," she muttered, only to get her Grandfather's sharp glare in response.

"It's all right, Master Tobul," Minwu said gently. "We've come to learn more about mythril from you."

"Ahhhh, now that's a legendary mineral," Tobul said. "Why, if I had a bit of that, I could make the finest weaponry ever seen. Of course, the stuff is mined up in Salamand. I've only been up there once. Before a man named Josef came here and exchanged details and materials with me, but I ain't heard from 'im since last month."

"That must mean that Fynn was not the first place that the Empire attacked," Firion thought aloud. "They might all ready control Salamand."

"Correction. They do have Salamand," Minwu's voice was soft. Always the source of reason, that man. "And since we made through Fynn unscathed, Hilda believes we are suited for such a mission."

"Grandpa," Krystal said, still standing near the door. She was shaking in fear. "Someone's coming. I don't know who it is…"

Tobul smiled quickly. "Head across the eastern lake and go to Poft. There, take a ship up to Salamand. You should leave very soon before any of the Empire's spies decide they wanna stumble on our conversation... I'm gonna go back to being my typical old-aged half-dwarf now. If I don't respond to ya, don't take it personally. Okay, open 'er back up, girl, we got a shop to run."

Krystal nodded. "All righty!" The door swung open, and in walked a very sad looking young man with long blonde hair wearing very regal clothing. She went back to the counter and sat on her stool. "Welcome to Altair's weapon shop!"

"Aye," the sad young man replied, looking at Minwu. "Ah! Lord Minwu! Princess Hilda told me you all ready left."

"Is something amiss, Prince Gordon?" Minwu asked.

"Oh, yeah, that's right…" Firion pulled the ring out of the item pouch and placed it in Gordon's hand. "Please, Prince, your brother said that this ring belongs to you," he said quietly. "Take it in his honor."

"So it's true?" Gordon asked, his eyes watering. "My… my big brother is…"

Clarisse nodded. "He fought back against the Imperials with all he had. He escaped their clutches, but was bedridden by the time we found him."

"No magic could heal those wounds," Minwu said, taking a few of the potions and scrolls he had brought with him and putting them inside Firion's item pouch. "Give Hilda my best, Prince Gordon. It's time we went."

"Hold!" Gordon said, putting the ring on his right hand. "I wish to help you in your fight!"

"Should you be doing that?" Firion asked.

Gordon shook his head, tears flowing down his face. "I've… I've always been nothing but a coward, hiding in the shadow of my brother. No longer!" He walked up to Minwu and said, "Let me join your party so that I might be able to not just avenge my brother, but liberate my country. I am the last living member of the Kashuon royal family!"

Minwu nodded. "So you are. King Gilbert granted you asylum when your homeland was taken in war."

"All we have left, both Fynn and Kashuon, is just Altair. If we lose Altair, both countries will be lost forever," Gordon cried. "I must do what I can to assist."

"If you're so motivated, my prince," Minwu said gently, "Then please. Arm yourself, milord. Just be aware that while traveling, we will not have the decadence you may be used to. We all share the same room at an inn, we all fight together. There is no social status in the battlefield."

"In the eyes of the Empire, we are all slaves," Clarisse said sternly.

"I heard from Hilda that you have lost your sister," Gordon said. "And that is why a sweet girl like you has taken up arms."

"It's true, Prince," she replied. "But based on what we know, she is alive. I will not let her be taken from me by this war. At the same time, I'll avenge my parents and my homeland."

"And, if you don't mind," Krystal said from her seat on the stool, "Avenge my daddy for me, too!"

Clarisse smiled. "I'll take off an entire appendage from his body in your honor, Krystal!"

"Sounds good to me," Krystal laughed.

Gordon walked up to the counter and reached into his pocket. "I'll have to buy a weapon, then," he said. "Do you have a spear?" He pulled out a coin purse.

Krystal walked over to a big box in the back, pointed at it, and said, "Take your pick."

Gordon looked through the box until he found one he felt was light enough for his feeble strength. He'd never fought anything before. Not a monster or a human. He knew nothing of what he was getting into, and his face revealed that he was scared. He even shook as he swung his chosen spear around a few times just to get the right feel for it. "Take my purse," he told Krystal. "Use it to further help the community here in Altair and the Wild Roses."

Tobul gasped. "But, a prince, handing over all his gil?!"

"I'll get more," Gordon said. "The community needs it more than I do."

"We are honored," Tobul said, bowing in front of the party. "When you bring the Mythril, I will make your new weapons free of charge!"

"Aye," Firion said with a nod. "That will help us more than you know."

Minwu smiled. "Your generosity is fitting for your station as the heir of Kashuon. Now, if the party is ready to depart, we make for Salamand."

_**END CHAPTER ONE**_


	10. Ch 2, Part 1

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fanfiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

_**CHAPTER TWO BEGINS**_

Part 1

The group of four adventurers departed the small town of Altair, headed east. The group consisted of the young swordsmanship student, Clarisse; her adopted brother, Firion; Fynn royal mage, Minwu; and heir to the kingdom of Kashuon, Prince Gordon. The path to the northern territory of Salamand was a long one, and they had just started.

Enemies were in no short supply. It seemed that every step was going to bring them face to face with yet another goblin or leg-snatching vine creature. Even though Gordon leapt in fear in combat a few times, he was there to cast an odd cure spell when Minwu was busy, as he tried to prove to himself and his party that he could be as useful as his older brother Scott was.

"Exactly where do we need to go?" Firion asked after he cut a leg-biter off of Clarisse's ankle. "Salamand is north. We're headed east."

Minwu rolled his eyes as he pulled out a map from the item pouch. "Look, young master," he said somewhat sarcastically. "Salamand may be north, but we can't get there on foot. We're headed to Port Paloom to catch a ship that will take us closer to the icy mountains Salamand is nestled in."

"Much different than my homeland of Kashuon," Gordon said. His voice sounded like that of a true pacifist. He didn't belong on the battlefield at all. He was a meek sort of man with a very sad looking face. "Kashuon is a place of constant warmth."

"Considering you guys keep the Sunfire, I'm not surprised by that," Clarisse said.

"Kashuon is not the hottest place in our world, however," Minwu said, pointing to another place on the map. There was a land off by itself, made of nothing but a vast desert that surrounded tall, jagged mountains. It was connected to another continent, but just barely by a tiny isthmus. "This place here is. But while you can live in the heat in Kashuon, this island has the driest heat possible. Legend says that this place actually connects to the depths of Hell."

Clarisse gasped, "Is that…"

"That is the island of the Palamecian Empire," Minwu answered her. "Yes."

"So that's where this is all coming from," Clarisse said angrily.

Gordon looked at the map. He was all ready so far from home, and Palamecia was so much further away. "It's terrifying to think a place in the world could actually be connected to Hell itself," he said quietly. "Can you imagine caverns that go down into the earth, full of every sort of demon and devil?" He shook just thinking about such a place. Could his even his battle-hardened older brother have scaled such a place? As much as he idolized Scott, it was hard to believe Scott could go into the depths of Hell with a straight face.

"You're a political man," Firion said as they got out the canoe from the item pouch. "You're not going to be the one who goes in that kind of place. I know for a fact that Princess Hilda would have you with her, helping to look after the people while some elite task force goes in, if need be." He smiled to the prince. "Let me guess. You're wondering if you can live up to your brother's reputation."

"I…" Gordon had a hard time continuing his sentence. Minwu helped him climb into the canoe so they could cross Lake Altair. "…I'm supposed to work for the full restoration of Kashuon, as I am the last remaining member of its royal family."

"You guys were first?" Clarisse said. "Palamecia sacked you guys before they hit us."

Gordon trembled as Firion and Minwu started rowing the boat. "Yes. That's why we had been staying at Fynn castle. We had nowhere else to stay. My brother and I, we were the only survivors of Kashuon Keep. Everyone… they helped us escape. Our servants, our knights… they helped us get to the Chocobo Forest, and while my knight swore to ride behind us, even he could not stand up to the power of the Emperor himself." Gordon wiped his eyes, looking at the water below. His reflection looked even more pathetic in the ripples. "I could not stand up to them. I relied on my older brother for everything, even as we found ourselves at yet another attack at the hands of that… that _monster_ of a man."

"What did they want?" Firion asked.

Minwu nodded. "The National Treasure of Kashuon, the Sunfire," he replied. "It is the symbol of Kashuon itself, and the most potent fire in the entire world."

"I wonder what use the Emperor has for Sunfire?" Clarisse asked.

That question fell on deaf ears, as pretty much everyone was lost in thought by then. Minwu and Firion rowed the boat onward, continuing east. By the time they reached the other side of the lake, they could hear seagulls. The port was not far away at all.

"Paloom is full of shady people," Minwu said once they hit the other side of the lake. "Be on your guard. It's a well known fact that pirates have taken up lodging inside since the war started. We need to find the ferryman who will take us to Poft. Hopefully, we won't fall for any other traps that have caught many other travelers lately."

The Palace of Palamecia was the biggest, most lavish castle in the entire world. Outside it was a vast training ground where men went through very rigorous training before becoming the Empire's very own Dark Knights. Mateus walked through the camp, inspecting everything. While most of the men were prisoners of war brought from other lands and wanted to resist joining his military, they all gave in eventually. Every man had a price. Some wanted gold, some wanted their family safe from harm, and some only desperately wanted to survive. He took in a deep breath, feeling the arid climate around him. It was going to be an auspicious day. Mateus could feel it.

"Your Grace," a man said from behind him. "Another message from Bafsk!"

Mateus took the envelope and dismissed the messenger. As he opened it, he smiled.

_The little magic student has exceeded my expectation, _Mateus thought. _Love is one of the most powerful motivators for mortal humans. It's amazing what they will do for such a fragile concept._ He crumpled up the paper and threw it on the ground. _I suppose I will have to keep my promise. I did say I would make her a princess, after all._

Mateus walked back into the palace. He never spoke to a servant unless giving them an order, and that was fine with him. He headed to the tallest tower, climbing up the stairs. At the very top, there was a door with one guard in front of it.

"Your Grace," the guard said, bowing his head.

"Open the door," Mateus said quietly.

"Yes, sire," the guard replied, doing as ordered.

Mateus walked through to find a room which was well kept. He found the woman who lived in the tower there on her bed, reading a book. She was a gentle beauty, looking like a princess from a fairy tale, even if she had aged well into her forties. Her hair was the same golden yellow which adored the handsom Emperor himself. He didn't say anything as he watched her. She had no idea he was even there. He was annoyed that she didn't pay attention to her surroundings enough to notice he was there in silence. Eventually, he tapped his long scepter on the floor to make her look away from whatever it was that she was reading.

When she did put the book down, she looked over to see him. Instantly, she bowed her head. "I never expected you to come visit me," she sounded not just surprised, but in awe. "What could the Emperor of Palamecia need with me?"

"I want your crown," Mateus answered.

"My… my crown?" the woman asked. "You would take the crown off your own mother's head?"

"You have want for nothing, Airu," Mateus said. There was not a hint of respect in his words, and it hit Airu like a dagger to her heart. "It is a small price to pay to continue living here, where everything is provided for you. Or would you rather not stay here? I can make arrangements." He waited for her answer. "Obey your Emperor."

"I am your mother, Mateus," Airu said, standing up off of her bed. "But I will not take this kind of treatment. You lock me up in the tallest tower of the castle like I'm some sort of political prisoner! Where is the kind and gentle boy I raised? Where is my little prince, who looked so much like his beloved father?"

Mateus shook his head. "You!" he said to the guard who stood at the door. "Take Lady Airu to the civilian village outside the castle walls."

Airu gasped. "But, my son-"

"You will work the fields to help feed my army like all of the other women," Mateus ordered. "The guards there will not know you are, or rather, _were_, the Queen Regent of the Palamecian Empire. You are just another prisoner of war." As the guard came in to lead her away, Mateus reached over and took the tiara from Airu's head. "There will be a new princess; one who is… useful."

"What kind of scheme are you plotting?" Airu asked. "What will you do to the girl you plan to give that crown to?!"

"It is of no concern to you," Mateus answered. "Take her away." He looked into the golden tiara, which was so lovingly made. The beautiful carvings only brought out the lovely amethyst jewel in the center. His mother had worn it ever since he could remember, but she was no longer serving any purpose by wearing it.

Airu did not fight as the guard pulled on her to take her down the stairs. However, she did cry for her son, and for the country she diligently served since she married into the family. She loved Palamecia for all it was and all it had ever been. She loved the royal family, even if all of the men who came to be born into it were driven mad by the time they were adults. Her husband also shared a similar fate. He showed desire to rule the world, but he never acted upon that desire. Eventually, the late Emperor took to his own study and stayed there until he died of some kind of brain sickness, from what all of the doctors had told her. As she looked upon her son's face that one last time, she vowed that somehow, she would find a way to break the curse on the land, and then men, she loved so dearly. There had to be a way to save her son. She couldn't save her husband, but she had to save her son.

Mateus looked around the room. He wondered what Cantirena would think of this place before he walked out and back down the stairs. With the tiara in hand, he headed to the throne room and placed it on a pedestal next to his throne. Then, he sat down, crossing his legs and losing himself in deep thought. He knew he was a brilliant mastermind. No one in this world could stop him from what he was doing. Everything belonged to him, everyone existed to serve him. Now all he had to do was wait for the arrival of his Dreadnaught Warship and the princess he chose to build it.

_There is only one fit to rule, and it is I._

Cantirena, under the guise of the Dark Princess, had been making remarkable progress on the warship she was in charge of building. The people were grateful to her gentler leadership, now that the ruthless General Borghen was gone. The children of Bafsk, who were previously forced to work in the smaller parts of the ship, were allowed to play as long as they did not interrupt the progress of the ship. The adults were divided into two teams that switched off every twelve hours, and they were always fed and rested before they were made to work. Now that the hull had been completely finished, all that was left was building the engine.

_I've never built an airship_, Cantirena said. _Before coming here, I'd never even been on one. I guess love is the best motivator in the world after all! Just wait, Emperor Mateus! You will see._

"How much longer to you expect the engine to take?" Cantirena asked a few of the guards who were overseeing the project.

"I'd say about another full day," one of the guards answered. "Princess, if it pleases you, go take a break. You've pushed yourself further than anyone else working on this daunting project. There is a room in the inn made specifically for you."

"I will take that offer," she said. She had built a resistance to the concentrated smell of tar, but the guards were right. Since she started, she never took a break to rest herself. Cantirena would have rather forced herself into working to death instead of the townspeople. She tried to keep to Minwu's teachings even in her current situation. "If there are any problems, report to me immediately."

"Aye, Princess."

Cantirena walked away from the airship slowly. She didn't even make it to town. When the wind swirled around her, she ended up sitting down there. She would have gone to the bed, but no. This was fine. She lay in the grass, looking up at the sky. For a moment, it was easy to forget everything that happened since the fall of her hometown, Fynn. For a moment, she felt like a normal girl again.

_Minwu_, she thought. _My beloved teacher, I… I still think of you every day. Your lessons echo in my memories. Your voice is always comforting to hear, even when you're not nearby._

"I'm sorry I'm not the student you always wanted," Cantirena whispered. "But if you can hear me, I want you to know that… I don't want you to come looking for me. I don't… I don't want you to see me now. Lord Minwu, please."

_I could not bear to look you in the eye now,_ Cantirena thought. _I couldn't handle being in your presence after all that's happened. I've always adored you and looked up to you. You'll always be my hero after saving me from that burning building._


	11. Ch 2, Part 2

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fanfiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 2

Paloom smelled of the sea. Ships with all sorts of banners waited in the harbor to travel about the world as their sailors deemed fit. The wind blew much harder here than it did near Altair. Near the town's gate stood a woman in a chainmail bikini wearing an eyepatch, asking people who came into the port if they wanted to catch a ride on her ship. Firion couldn't believe how pretty the woman was. He was red all over, and his heart couldn't stop thumping loudly. He wanted to talk to her, but Clarisse just kept him nearby with one yank on his beaded scarf.

"Minwu said this place is full of shady people," she reminded him. "I am not losing all my gil and weapons to some slut that wants people to ride on her ship. I'll bet she wants another kind of ride." She couldn't believe she was having to drag her adopted older brother away from such a display. "Gosh, Firi, it's like you have no common sense when you see a nice pair! Typical guy!"

Minwu shook his head. The drives of youth had never made much sense to the mage, but he figured it was because he was raised in a much different society than the one here. He missed Mysidia for a few moments after watching Firion and Clarisse's dramatic exchange. "We're looking for a ship with Cid's banner on it. He owns the ferry system between Paloom and Poft," he said. "He has an eagle on his crest."

"I wonder if that means I'll be able to meet the man of the skies myself," Gordon thought aloud. "He sounds like a passionate fellow." He kept very close to Minwu, as he never did like exploring strange places. All of the hustle and bustle of a town known for its pirate problem

"Passionate is a good word to describe him," Minwu agreed. "He wanted to further the technology of Fynn for defensive purposes. He worked day and night to invent his signature airship, which took the hull of a water-bound ship and gave it the ability to fly. After it was finished, he left Fynn's royal court and decided to live as a free bird. Once he touched the sky he so longed for, that was it." He scanned each and every one of the flags on the ship until he saw the one he was looking for. "There, that's the one."

The group of four approached that specific dock, and there stood a woman with long purple hair. Half of it was up in a frilly green bandanna. "Hiya, folks," she said with a smile. "What can I do ya for?"

"Do you work for Cid?" Minwu asked.

"I sure do," the woman said. "You want a ride up ta Poft, then?"

"That's why we're here," Firion said. He had Clarisse let go of his scarf so he'd be able to look at the lady who was standing on the dock. "When do you leave?"

"We leave tomorrow mornin', bright and early, sunshine," the woman winked at him. "It'll be 60 gil for each of ya. You got the coins?"

Minwu reached into his pocket and pulled out a handful of coins. "Here," he said. "Have 300 gil. Keep the change. We will come tomorrow at sunrise, then." He turned to look at everyone in the group. "We have the rest of the day to ourselves. Come along, we should check our inventory and prepare for tomorrow's journey." He led the group to the inn, which was set in the dead center of the port.

The woman who stood at the dock watched the four very carefully. She looked up at the crow's nest of the ship, where there was a man wearing the same color bandanna she was. "That one matches the description, wouldn't ya say?" she asked him.

"Aye," the man in the crow's nest said with a nod. "Dat one dere's da one they got the bounty on, fa sure. Da Emperor 'imself is lookin' for that one. 'E'll pay one 'eavy ransom for that pretty one."

"And did you see the man in the turban? He had quite the heavy purse," she said. "I say we've hit a gold mine, Pluie."

"I dink so, Miss Leila," Pluie answered. "Dat fake flag was your best idea ever!"

Cantirena's eyes opened to find that she was not where she passed out. She remembered lying down in the grass and staring up at the sky, not on a bed underneath a quilt. She looked around the room she was in, only to find a man sitting at the table in the far corner of the room.

"Ah," the man said. "I was beginning to wonder if you'd actually worked yourself into a coma." His voice was raspy and low, and he spoke with a slur that made him sound drunk. "Not to worry, though. Your ol' pal Borghen has you covered, missy."

"How dare you speak to me in that tone," Cantirena sat up, totally forgetting she no longer had her hood on to hide her identity. "I am the emissary of His Magest-"

"What did the Emperor pay you to betray your one and only mentor?" Borghen asked, hitting the table with his glass. "Jewelry? Powers? Money? What did it cost for you to turn on everyone you loved and everyone you ever cared about? Minwu must be so _proud _to know that his chosen protégé has turned into… well, _you._"

"You have no right to talk about Minwu!" Cantirena shouted.

"And, quite frankly, m'dear, neither do you," Borghen said, filling his glass up yet again.

"…you betrayed us first," she said angrily, pulling herself out of the bed. "It was because of you that everyone felt safe right before the massacre happened."

"Aye," Borghen replied, nodding at that. "You're going to wish he had killed you in Fynn. The Emperor is not a man, at least, he doesn't process emotions like a man. He's a monster. He might be the prettiest-looking this side of Deist, but I promise you, inside, he's the most evil person to walk this world." He took another shot and slammed the glass down on the table afterward. "No matter how much I drink, I cannot kill the memories of watching him burn innocent children to ash in front of their parents who were powerless to stop him. That… that told me everything I needed to know in one fell swoop… My hometown was going to suffer the same fate, and it was my fault." He looked over at Cantirena. "Missy, he will have you kill innocents, if he hasn't all ready. And if you refuse his orders, he will kill you. I don't care if you're his emissary or his new princess or his personal whore. You're just another cog in his war machine."

Cantirena sat back down on the bed. "I… I know that," she said gently. "I know I'm just his puppet…"

"You, unlike many who have come into his service, have the chance to escape," Borghen said. "I will let you go. Hell, I will take you to where the rebels are gathering on my airship. Go back to Minwu, pretend like you were a prisoner of war, and blame all the deaths that you've caused on me." He stood up from his chair and walked closer to her. "You're a pretty little thing. You do not belong here." He smelled of the strongest whiskey. He was a shriveled up husk in comparison to the man he used to be when he was still in charge of the Royal Guard in Fynn. "Great Mage Minwu will take care of you as he always has. You will be safe from the Emperor with Minwu."

"I miss my teacher so much," she said, "But I can't go back to Minwu. Not after what I did in the name of the Emperor. I… I belong to Emperor Mateus now. I made the decision when I first met him months ago, back when he was just the Prince of Palamecia. I would serve him as Minwu serves Hilda. When the opportunity presented itself, I took it."

"Minwu would forgive his star student of anything. He loves you," Borghen said. He was trying so hard to make her see. He didn't want her to lose her innocence, when she had given it up willingly all ready. "I know for a fact that he loves you enough to forgive you of anything. If Clarisse had ever done anything like this, I… I would still welcome her home."

"How _dare_ you even mention my sister?!" Cantirena shouted. "You're terrible!"

"I'm not so terrible that I would forsake everything I loved because of love at first sight," Borghen said, finally getting angry. His fat, pimply face got redder the more Cantirena spoke to him. "You're lucky I have a heart, or I would've raped you in your sleep! I had the perfect opportunity!"

"…I hate you."

"You have a damn good reason to hate me," he said. "I'm a gutter slime of the highest order and it was because of me that your parents were slaughtered right in front of the Goddess and the world to see." Borghen sat next to her on the bed. "I'm a dirty, no account traitor. I should be hated and punished for what I did. I don't want you to become what I am. I would rather die knowing that a tender little thing like you is safe at home and will grow up to be a happy woman, surrounded by people that love you."

"Even though what you did got my parents killed," Cantirena added.

"I apologized for that, didn't I?" Borghen asked, glaring at her. "Go home. This is not the place for you."

"General," Cantirena said, looking at the floor.

"Yes?"

She asked, "Why are you not in Salamand? Were you not ordered to go there, even before my arrival?"

Borghen was visibly pissed at that question. "Do you honestly think I want to go up there and bribe the man who's running that town into mining mythril for the Empire? He didn't want people to die in our attack, so he let us control the land without a fight, but… I don't want to go to Salamand. I'll put it off as long as I can."

"You're a coward."

"You think I want to show my face to my brother and my niece after not only betraying the kingdom I trained in, but my hometown?" he asked, getting up. "I know my orders, missy, you don't have to remind me of them. I'll give you one last chance. I'm leaving right now. I will take you home if you want."

"…just… just go," Cantirena said, not looking up. "I… I will remain."

"No matter how much you think you love the Emperor… he does not love you, and he never will," Borghen said as he started walking out. "You can't change a man who sold his soul to the devil in exchange for power."

The door shut, leaving Cantirena alone by herself in the room that was barely lit by a few torches on the wall. She fell back over onto the bed, hiccupping into the pillow until it turned into a full-scale wailing. She let everything out that she'd been holding in until she fell back asleep around twenty minutes later.

_Minwu._

Minwu snapped to attention. He was looking through the scrolls of Paloom's magic shop when he could have sworn he heard Cantirena's voice call out for him. He had every white magic scroll in their inventory all ready mastered. He was holding a fire scroll, wondering if he should take it with him. He never cast any destructive magic in his past. Everything he'd learned was for the purpose of taking care of others, or healing. As he thought about it, he remembered that he did use black magic to help before. Water was how he put out the fire that Cantirena had been trapped inside. Hearing her voice gave him the resolve to buy the fire scroll and keep it with him. He had a feeling he was going to need it in the icy fields of Salamand.

_Cantirena,_ Minwu thought, taking the scroll up to the counter to purchase it, _You need not worry. I will find you and bring you home. Just hold on, wherever you are. Know that my search will not end until I have either saved you or… have died in my search._

"Oy, there ya are!" a sweet female voice called from behind Minwu. When he turned to look and see who it was, he found the lady with the bright green bandanna and purple hair waving at him. "Been lookin' for ya everywhere! Somethin' came up, so I came to give ya a refund."

"A refund?" Minwu asked curiously. "Is something wrong with your ship?"

"Nah. There's a storm ragin' up north. Poft's been hit by a storm unlike any we've ever seen, and 'cause of that, we can't sail up in that direction," Leila said, putting the 300 gil into Minwu's hand. "Ya'll might wanna find another route. I know it'll take longer than goin' by sea, but there's a mountain pass just north o' here. Why don't ya'll hike up north?"

"Hmm." Minwu nodded at the suggestion. "Thank you kindly, milady. We will consider it." He left the magic shop after placing his new scroll in the item pouch.

"Heh," Leila laughed. "The boy's will love this one! Saddle up, sea dogs, piratin' works just as well by land!"


	12. Ch 2, Part 3

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 3

After the downfall of Fynn, Princess Hilda made her base in Altair. It was a quiet town, though it became louder with all of the refugees that came in. She did her best to keep her composure, but as time progressed that became harder. She missed having her faithful constant support from Minwu, and she missed the days when her title of 'princess' meant she could frolic around a large castle while her father, the King, could handle everything the people needed. This was the price for those leisurely days.

Hilda made it a point to visit her father once every day since they arrived in Fynn. He didn't get any better. It was as if his wound refused to heal at all. No amount of white magic could heal is back or help him sit up right. She knew that Gilbert was on his deathbed. Now it was just a matter of time before his aching body gave out.

The old King would ramble on to her about everything from how perfect the late Queen was, to how much he missed the days when Fynn knew nothing but peace. His father before him did not participate in any conflict on the outside. Fynn was a pacifist nation since its founding, and this was the first time that a massacre happened within its borders. Hilda sat and listened to him out of respect for the father that raised her, but that didn't make listening to him any easier. All of it made her feel like she was Atlas, holding up the world on her shoulders.

Of course, he suggested that she send a message to Palamecia, declaring their surrender several times during their conversations. He couldn't bear it if, while he was on his deathbed, his daughter was killed in a fight he was not there to prevent. Hilda wouldn't hear any of that. She was a smart woman who could lead her people to victory. She was the princess of Fynn, a country symbolized by the wild rose, which could bloom anywhere. No matter if Altair became the new capital, no matter if she had to employ the townspeople instead of a fully trained army. The wild rose would bloom, damn it. She refused to accept otherwise.

Hilda sat on her throne, alone to think about everything that transpired. She never thought she would ever be in a place like this.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.

"Proceed," Hilda called out.

The door opened to reveal the young fast-talking' ninja that Firion happened to be friends with, a very short young man by the name of Paul. He wore an all-black uniform, typical of those who were into thievery and sneaking about. He gave a salute to the princess before coming in.

"Oh, your highness, you look as beautiful as the sunrise," Paul said carefully as he bowed before her. "But that's not the reason I'm here."

"Well, state your business, Paul," Hilda said, not sure if she was grateful to have someone come speak to her, or if she was annoyed that someone derailed her train of thought.

Paul stood back up straight, reaching into his pocket to pull out a parchment. "Princess, you are not going to like this at all. My operatives just returned from Palamecia. This is their report," he said, putting it into her hands.

Hilda opened the note and read over the contents very carefully. When she reached about midway, her eyes grew much bigger than they were before. "This… this is what they saw?" she asked.

"That's right," Paul said, nodding his head. "One of them, well, he's giving' up on the spying business. The things they saw scarred the man for life. I can't imagine watching the Emperor fusing men with demon in some sort of ritual to make Dark Knights without some sort of reaction. Princess, this is what we're up against. I don't think we can keep this up."

"Even you want to turn yourself in to the Empire?" Hilda asked.

"Not at all, your highness, but if-"

"If you don't want to turn yourself in and sell out your countrymen, then I suggest you shut up about it! If you're done fighting, Paul, go, tell the Emperor that you're done and you'll fight for him!" Hilda shouted. "I will not stop you from doing so. But I will never, _ever_ surrender to the likes of that monster!" She wanted to rip everything to shreds. It was like everyone under her command wanted to undermine her ability to lead. She hated this fact and stubbornly refused to give in. "Or will you continue to support the rebellion and fight for your freedom?"

Paul couldn't help but chuckle at that. He shook his head and shrugged. "You make for a persuasive lady, don't you? All right, Princess. I won't talk about backing' off any more. If you want to keep fighting, then I will stick with you. In fact, I came to ask your permission to leave on a new mission."

"Where would you be going?" Hilda asked.

"Right back into the demon's nest, of course," Paul said, giving her a thumbs-up. "I want to crack the Emperor's safe myself and bring back his treasure to fund the war. I've seen crazy things in my time. He won't be able to scare me out of my plundering for the good of the world!"

"That… sounds just like you," Hilda said, sitting back down in her throne. "All right, Paul, you have my blessing. Get all you can carry. We'll show that tyrant a thing or two!"

"Aye aye," Paul said, bowing before her again. "I will be back as soon as possible, milady. I will not fail you."

"You never have, Paul," Hilda said, watching him leave.

_And now, I'm all alone again…_

"What do you mean, there's a storm up north?!" Clarisse asked Minwu as they were sitting down to eat in the Paloom Inn's dining room.

"The woman with the green bandanna told me. She even gave me a full refund," Minwu replied. He watched as the innkeeper put a bowl of chocobo vegetable soup and a small loaf of butter-filled bread in front of all four of the members of the party.

"How would she know if there's a storm up there?" Firion asked, puzzled about the whole thing. When he saw the soup was ready to eat, he dove right into it. He was so hungry, he could have eaten an entire ten course royal meal. "I mean, if there's a storm, there's no way they could have sent word via a homing pigeon or anything like that, right?"

Gordon shook his head. "I'm not sure about walking there. We do need to get back with the Mythril as quickly as possible, and…" he stared into the bowl of soup. He didn't like onions very much, and there they were, floating in the broth. He was hungry, but he didn't want onions. Minwu was right, he was going to have to get used to not being treated like a prince. He picked up his spoon and took a tiny bite. It had the taste of onions all in it. But he was so hungry. He had to power through that taste, and it wasn't very easy. After a few bites, he just picked up the loaf of bread he was given and nibbled on that.

"Walking would indeed take a week or longer. By a ship, it's just a day's travel," Minwu said. He was examining his map more than he was eating. He always got like this when his stomach was in knots. There was no way he'd be able to eat anything like this. "Plus if we took a ship, we wouldn't have to deal with monsters like we do on land."

"C'mon, Minwu, you should eat something. Can't fight a war on an empty stomach," Clarisse said, nudging him on his shoulder. "You won't be able to trounce that traitor Borghen and find my sister if you're not going to keep yourself nourished properly."

"Aye," Minwu said. "Thank you for being concerned for me." He folded the map up and started to eat the soup he was given. "Prince Gordon? Are you all right?"

"Oh, yes, thank you, Lord Minwu," Gordon said, ripping off the crust from the bread. It was so crunchy. He wasn't used to that, either. "I'm perfectly fine."

"You have that same expression on your face that Princess Hilda used to get every time anyone served her something with peas in it," Minwu said, sipping at the broth. "Or even Cantirena. Every time strawberries would get near her, she would get that exact same look on her face. Oh, how she hated it. The girl flat out refused to eat anything that was even touched by the same hand that prepared strawberries." He smiled, remembering Cantirena when she started taking classes there at the castle with him.

"_Teacher Minwu, what's that smell coming from?"_

"_That, my child, is called a strawberry. It's very sweet. The princess simply loves them. Are you saying you've never had one, Cantirena?"_

"_Who would want to? Yuck!"_

"_You don't know until you try it."_

"_But the smell…"_

"_Oh, come on. I'm sure if I asked on your behalf, you'd be allowed to have some."_

"_Let's just get back to the lesson, teacher…"_

Clarisse had finished her bowl of soup before she noticed that Minwu seemed a little spaced out. She nudged his shoulder gently. "Hey. You okay over there?" she asked. "You were zoning out again."

"Ahh, yes," Minwu said, continuing to eat his soup. "I just had a flashback, that's all. It's easy to get caught up in them when they come back to you."

Gordon had finished eating his bread and left the table when he did, leaving his bowl of soup right where it sat. Firion took the bowl and drank everything in it all in one big gulp before going over to his bed. Then he proceeded to sit and do some work on his sword to prepare for the next morning.

"Yeah. I've had quite a few myself," Clarisse said gently. "I've never been this far away from my sister, you know. It's… it's weird, not having her around."

"Ever since I adopted her as my student, I was never far from her, either," Minwu replied. "Ten years, and you can get more attached than you could ever expect to be. I knew our destinies were linked then, but I didn't know how strongly until recently." He finished the soup and the bread quickly, then picked up all the dishes and gave them directly to the woman who put them on the table. "And, yes, I believe I miss her, too."

Firion looked over. "It's okay if you do, Minwu. You might be revered and respected around the world, but you're also a person, and people feel things." He then went back to his sword sharpening.

"Yes," Minwu agreed, sitting down on his bed. "Humans have emotions and urges. Sometimes, it's easy to forget that I have them myself."

"How could you forget that you have urges?" Firion asked. "Everyone has natural… you know, things your body just has to do?"

"Firion," Clarisse grunted. "Minwu isn't going to go and ogle a pretty lady, like you do."

"Oh har har," Firion fake laughed. "No, but even Minwu has to listen to what his body tells him to do. You feel hungry, you have to use the outhouse, you have to sleep when you get tired. I'm not just talking about needing relief like that, you pervert."

"I'm not a pervert," Clarisse said. "You're the one who drools over ladies in chainmail bikinis."

Minwu lay on his bed, looking up at the ceiling above. He tried to relax, though he wanted to think even more about their plans for tomorrow. "Even if I found them desirable, I have taken a vow to never indulge in depravity. It is the Mysidian way to purify ourselves in our path to enlightenment."

"If that's the case," Gordon asked from his bed, "Then how does Mysidian culture still exist, if you do not bear children? I heard the Circle of Mages has existed for thousands of years."

"Each of us who leave Mysidia tend to find one on the outside to bring back with us, to train in our ways," Minwu answered. "It is how our culture has stayed alive."

"You were planning on taking Cantirena back to Mysidia with you," Clarisse said in awe. "This is the reason why you have watched over her so carefully since you decided to take her as your student. You want her to continue your line in Mysidia."

"I… would be more than happy, if she accepted my offer to join the Circle of Mages," Minwu said, closing his eyes.

"What happens if you go against your vow of purity?" Gordon asked. "Would you be forbidden to enter Mysidia, or is there more punishment?"

Minwu sat up again. His heart could not rest. What was this feeling? Why were they talking about these kinds of things, putting these ideas into his head? Cantirena was his student, he didn't want to ever… no, that was a terrible idea, and he was terrible for even letting the thought have any space in his mind. Besides, he was damn near twenty years older than she was. "If I were to break my vow of purity, not only would I not be able to return to Mysidia, I would have to give up my position as Hilda's personal aide," he answered. "So, please, let's not discuss it further."

"Minwu," Clarisse said. "We're sorry if we…"

"I'll be fine after resting a bit. Think nothing of it. We have a long trek ahead of us tomorrow, so let's all get some sleep. We'll be leaving a first light," Minwu said, blowing out his candle.

_I never thought I'd ever have to discuss this with anyone. It's best left unsaid what happens to oath breakers in Mysidia. If you're going to make a vow, you're expected to keep it!_


	13. Ch 2, part 4

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 4

When Cantirena opened her eyes, she was still inside the bedroom at the inn where Borghen left her. She rubbed her eyes tiredly, remembering that she had a job to finish. She pulled herself out of bed, straightened out her dress, and threw her cloak over it. She looked out the window. The sun was coming up. It was time to check on the progress of the Emperor's Dreadnaught Warship, which if she remembered the guards yesterday, should be finished sometime within the day. She coughed a few times. Her dreams were still right there, fresh in her memory. In fact, she dreamed her own memories, as if she was reliving them.

She sat down at the table where Borghen had been drinking, and the bottle of Salamand whiskey was still there along with the glass the fat, pimply general pounded on the table every time he took a shot. There next to it was a book and a quill. Remembering what she said about writing letters before, she couldn't help herself. She had so many emotions flowing through her that she didn't know what to write about. The first thing that managed to come out on parchment was a simple line of address.

_Dear Mother and Father:_

Cantirena promised she would write a letter to her family every time she went to a new town, and the first new town she'd been to was here, in Bafsk. Instead of writing about the mountains taller than any she'd ever imagined, or how tiny the little hamlet was, she wrote about what she set out to do. What drove her to this. Whatever _**this**_ was.

_I find myself in a new town named Bafsk, but the town itself really doesn't matter that much. I came here because I believe that, if I work hard enough, I can bring this war to a close, and the world can heal after all the trouble that has come to pass. I keep hearing the words of my beloved teacher, Minwu, and they lead me to being as peaceful inside as he is. I cannot wait to see you again and tell you of all my adventures! I will do enough exploring for everyone. With all my love, Cantirena._

Writing that made her feel more than nauseous, but she couldn't write anything else. She had to make it sound right. Even though she knew her parents were deader than a doornail and they probably watched her commit the atrocities at Fynn in the name of the person who had them murdered, she wrote to them like they were still alive. She had enough on her plate without having to deal with mourning her parents properly. Instead she tried to focus on other things. That's when her most recent dream started replaying in her head. Once again, she couldn't get the thoughts out of her head.

_The day Prince Mateus came to Fynn, and how I met him after a meeting between the leaders of Palamecia, Fynn, Deist, and Kashuon, _Cantirena thought as she walked out of the room and headed out of the inn. She gave the innkeeper a 200 Gil coin even though the innkeeper wanted to refuse to take it. _How he came on behalf of his father, who was sick. He spoke of nothing but peace for the entire world. His voice was serene. He sounded like an angel, and he looked like one, too._ It was hard to keep it out of her mind now.

"_Excuse me, your highness?"_

"_Ah, you are Fynn's new mage-in-training, yes? I remember seeing you during the council."_

"_My teacher says the best way to learn is by experiencing, so he had me come in and see how the council is conducted. I… I just wanted to tell you…"_

"_Oh, don't be afraid to speak to me. If there is something you'd like to say, I'd love to hear it."_

"…_You were inspiring, Prince Mateus. I hope when you speak to your people, that you fill them with the kind of passion you've given me. I want to work for a better world even more after hearing your speech earlier."_

"_You are too kind, milady. My people have a hard time listening to me, as I do not have the same tone as that of His Grace, the Emperor."_

"_I am sure that will come with time. Most older people don't like listening to those of us who are still in-training. They think they know everything."_

"…_What was that, my child?"_

"_Lord Minwu!"_

"_Come along now. We'd best not bother His Highness, as we have a lot of work to do. Don't we, little Cantirena?"_

"_Yes, we do. Your Highness, it was wonderful meeting you. I hope we'll meet again someday."_

"_I know we will, milady. I am quite sure we will meet again."_

Cantirena made her way out of the inn, where she found two guards waiting for her to come out. She wondered why they were there. This seemed highly unusual.

"Princess!" one of them shouted. "Your presence is requested at the base of the Dreadnaught!"

She nodded. She knew this was coming. "Yes," she said quietly. "I was heading there. Thank you." As she walked through the town, she noticed that every one of the citizens were being rounded up by the guards, even though her plans were to alternate between two teams every twelve hours. Something was wrong with this picture.

At the base of the Dreadnaught, where the hull was open for everyone to enter, there stood the two men who helped her lead the project. She approached them, trying to get into that forceful personality that she'd been developing to act as the Dark Princess on behalf of the Emperor. Even though the Prince was so determined for world peace just months ago, now she helped him build the largest warship the world had ever seen.

"Ah! The Emissary of the Emperor himself," one of the guards said loudly. "Come, Princess, it is finished."

"That's wonderful news," Cantirena said. "When can she launch?"

"As soon as one last task is completed," the other guard said. "Princess, if you would please prepare for departure. We make for the Empire's Capital."

"I shall address the people first," Cantirena stated.

"No, milady, we have other orders," the guard said. "So, go inside. These orders come from the Emperor himself."

The first guard picked Cantirena off of her feet and carried her inside the ship. When she was inside, the guards closed the big hatch so she couldn't get out. Cantirena was utterly confused as to why they would do this. She was the Emissary of the Emperor, after all. She had more authority than any of these knights.

When listening closely, she could hear swords clashing outside. Cantirena couldn't imagine why there would be the sound of a battle out there, but her thoughts shifted to what could have been the worst possible scenario. There were no windows in the hull, so she couldn't see what was going on out there. She walked up the stairs to head up as far as she could go, coming out onto the deck of the ship. When she looked down, her fears were all well founded.

The Empire's Dark Knights were slaughtering all the people who worked on the airship, one by one. She screamed in horror, but a few of the guards on the ship pulled on her to keep her away from seeing it. People were screaming for mercy, and many of them fought back. The prisoners of war who were used like slaves were now being trashed like slaves now that they'd outlived their usefulness. Cantirena couldn't help by sob at the sight. She promised them she would give them the chance to escape to other places, that their children could live in peace. She told them if they worked, they would be set free.

_Emperor Mateus, is this your vision for the world?_ She thought as the guards pulled her into the cockpit of the Dreadnaught. _Are all people just… cogs in your war machine?_

"Princess," one of the guards said. "The Emperor knew ahead of time that you would object to the disposal of the slaves, so to prevent you from being killed in the onslaught, he gave us the direct order to keep you safe and bring you to him directly."

"…so you received word from him while I was resting," Cantirena asked.

"This is exactly right," the guard said. "For him to issue an order like this, he must hold you in very high regard. Your title as princess is more than just a formality, unlike that of the General traitor from Fynn."

Cantirena shook her head, wiping the tears from her face. She needed to show no signs of sorrow if she was going to meet Mateus again, face-to-face. She felt the pressure of everything she'd done right at that moment. She remembered Borghen, and his invitation to leave. He knew what was coming, didn't he? He knew this was coming, and he even warned her of it, but she was too stupid to walk away from it before it happened.

"Dammit," she muttered to herself, "Looks like it rains inside, too."

"Princess, you may wish to rest before we enter the Capital," the guard said. "There are captain's quarters just down the hall from here."

"No. I will be the first to greet His Grace when we arrive," Cantirena answered sternly. "I will show him around his warship myself."

"As you wish," the guard said, pressing a button on the control panel.

The Dreadnaught rumbled loudly. It was time to launch.

_Oh, Lord Minwu… _


	14. Ch 2, part 5

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 5

Clarisse typically never failed to be the first one up in the morning, but on this sunny morning, she was beaten by Minwu, who was studying his map just like he was the night before. She wondered if he even slept at all, with how tired his eyes looked. It was hard to judge him by anything else, as he always wore his turban, mask, and robes over every other part of his body.

"G'morning, Lord Minwu," Clarisse said, sitting up.

"Is it morning all ready?" Minwu asked, not looking over at her. "I seem to have forgotten the time yet again. Forgive me, my student, I've not prepared a lesson for today."

"Um, Minwu?" Clarisse asked, immediately confused by that.

"Please, go on home and rest today," Minwu added. "I've become swamped with work for Princess Hilda."

Clarisse got out of bed and walked over to Minwu. "Hey. Are you even in there?"

Minwu blinked a few times before putting his map down. "Clarisse," he said, bowing his head for a second. It seemed as if the man was asleep while awake, which was something Clarisse had never seen before. He was always calm and composed, which left everyone to believe that Minwu could handle just about anything that happened around him. Clarisse was starting to see that even the sage-like Minwu had his limits of emotional taxation. "Good morning. I was thinking about which way we should take to go north. I don't believe it is wise to walk all the way to Salamand, as it will take a good week or so, and we can't carry all the supplies we would need for such a trek right now. I will inquire other ships about passage to Poft."

"While you do that, I'll wake the other two," Clarisse said carefully. She put her hand on Minwu's shoulder. "Are you sure you don't want to go back to Altair? I'm not sure if you should be traveling like this. Maybe you should help Princess Hilda-"

"My student needs to come home before I can even think of staying put," Minwu answered. "She is my responsibility. It is the Mysidian way."

"And I know those ways are ancient and well-respected," Clarisse said gently. "But…"

"My health be damned," Minwu muttered, standing up. "I will do what I must." He walked out of the bedroom while Clarisse sat there with a hopeless expression on her face.

_You need her just as badly as she needs you,_ Clarisse thought as she stood back up and started pulling her armor on over her clothes. _If your circumstances were different, I'd almost believe you were in love with Cantirena. I've never seen a drive like this before out of any teacher for their student, even if it is the Mysidian way._

She walked over to Firion's bed and thwacked him on the head really hard. "Come on. Minwu's all ready looking around outside to make a decision about how to get up north. You need to get up and get ready to go, too, ya lazy bum."

"I'm not lazy," Firion said, sitting up. "Just because I don't get up first thing in the morning doesn't mean I'm lazy." He got out of bed and stretched every which way. "So, did Minwu even sleep last night?"

"I don't think so," Clarisse answered. "When I first talked to him, he… he thought I was my sister."

"Well, you have the same hair and eye color," Firion said, strapping on his armor. "And your voices sound very similar if you're not listening carefully. I mean, if her hair was straight and longer, you two would look exactly the same." He shrugged. "Even I made the mistake once."

"What?"

"Yeah, it was kinda weird…" Firion trailed off. "She was bathing in the part of the Lake over by the forest, and… yeah…" He blushed. "If it wasn't for her singing, before I got in the water, I was totally ready to surprise her and-"

Clarisse grunted. "How awkward! You thought she was me, so you were going to jump into the water and surprise her! Naked, too, I would assume!"

"Aww, hey, it wasn't like that," Firion said. He walked over to Prince Gordon, who was still sleeping soundly despite everyone else getting up. "Good morning, your highness. We're getting ready to go."

"Oh," Gordon said, getting up immediately. "Where is Lord Minwu?"

"Out trying to make the decision of how to get up north," Clarisse answered. She was all ready to go. Her sword tied to her hip. She wanted to point it at some imperial scum, but she wasn't going to get that chance with the flimsy thing she had now. After getting the Mythril and having her sword reforged, that was when she could finally save her sister. Finally she would have everything she needed.

Suddenly, the building started to shake. Decorations fell off of the walls and it was very hard to stand. Firion snatched both Gordon and Clarisse under his arms and led them outside just in case. The first thing they laid eyes on was a huge black thing in the sky. It was bigger than any other flying machined they'd ever seen before. There were more propellers on that than anything ever seen before. It was a monster that blotted out the sun as long as in eyesight.

"That's… that's it…" Clarisse breathed out. "That must be the… the Dreadnaught!"

People in the port were screaming. Fear was rampant as men, women, and children all tried to hide from the large ship flying overhead. It was headed southeast. Even though it showed no intention of attacking the town, it left everything in an uproar.

"That's the Dreadnaught?!" Firion asked. "That huge flying machine?"

"What else could it be?" Clarisse asked.

"I'm… I'm…" Gordon shook where he was, looking at that thing. He was trembling. "I can't fight… against something like that…"

When the ship was completely gone, the town was left in a huge mess. Everything from outdoor furniture to papers were scattered about the place. Just flying by was enough to tear up the town, it was easy to tell what would happen if that thing had actually _**attacked**_.

Minwu approached from the port, still his ever calm self. "I trust the three of you saw that monstrosity," he said gently. "The Dreadnaught Warship is complete, and now… it's probably headed to Palamecia's capital before it starts its rampage."

"Does this mean we're too late?" Gordon asked. "We wanted to get Mythril to try to stop the warship's completion."

"We may be too late to stop it from being built, but we can still go to Salamand to get mythril for Princess Hilda and Master Tobul as we were ordered," Minwu answered. "However, Prince Gordon, there is a task that I will have you complete."

"What? Me?" Gordon asked, blinking at Minwu in confusion.

"You, Prince Gordon," Minwu said. "Because you need to gather your courage to rise up to face such a dreadful enemy, I will give you a task of your own. When we get to Poft, you will seek out Lord Cid. We need as much information on airships as possible, and since you are the heir to Kashuon, you can ask about the Sunfire as well."

Gordon gulped. "I… I hope I can live up to this task…"

"You'll do just fine!" Firion said, "Because you're Scott's younger brother. You share the same blood!" He tapped Gordon on the shoulder. "You're a political man, remember? Talking to people suits you better than fighting them, right?"

"R-right," Gordon said, trying to pull himself together. "I… I am the heir of Kashuon, and I will… I will do what I can."

"That's what we wanted to hear," Clarisse said, hugging Gordon's arm. "You're amazing, Gordon! You can get over your fears! The whole world is counting on you."

"I hope I can live up to your expectations," Gordon said, trying to force a smile.

"Well, Minwu," Firion said, putting both Clarisse and Gordon down on their feet, now that the ground was table again. "Have you made a decision as to how we're going to go up north?"

"Well, yes, I have," Minwu said, pointing at the docks. "I've talked to all the other ship captains, and even though Cid's ship might not be leaving port, others are. It seems as if the lady just didn't want to take us on her boat for whatever reason. We'll be taking another ship, which means we will be in Poft come tomorrow morning."

"That's great," Firion said, smiling. "We'll get that Mythril and be back in time to impress Princess Hilda!"

As the group was getting on the boat with a different flag, Leila stood on the deck of her ship, unable to believe what just happened. She wanted to trap the group in the mountains and loot them for all they had, but that wasn't going to happen now. Minwu and his entourage were leaving on another boat, one that knew the weather near Poft was perfect for sailing. She bit her lip. Her plan wasn't fully thought out. But that was okay.

"Don't worry, Master Minwu," she muttered, "We will meet again." She turned away, going back down into the hull of her ship. "Pluie, we're leaving port. Head south!"

"Right, Cap'n Leila," Pluie replied, and the ship started pulling out until it was able to set sail.

Minwu watched that other boat with Cid's flag on it. "Maybe she got a notice from Cid about something else," he thought aloud. "But she couldn't say what it was, so she lied about the weather."

"It doesn't matter now," Clarisse said. "We have our passage to Poft, so it's only a matter of time before we get to Salamand."

Gordon sat in the center of the ship's deck. "Oooh, I've never been on a boat before…." He held his stomach. "I feel… queasy."

"Uh oh, the prince is seasick," Firion called to Minwu. "Do you have a spell you can use to help him with that?"

Minwu turned around. "No, unfortunately, I don't know any spells for relieving seasickness. Prince Gordon, please, go below deck and try to stay in the center of the ship. That might help a little."

Gordon got up, but the natural bobbing of the ship on the water made it hard for him to even walk. "I think next time, we should rent chocobos…"

"If we could," Clarisse said. "We don't have chocobos in our area of the world. They're only native to Kashuon."

Gordon cursed his luck, but he still felt braver now than he ever had. Before, he always relied on his brother for everything. The only place he felt at home was in the castle classroom. Now, he was on a mission to help the world. If he could do this, then he could do more things later on, and maybe, just maybe, he might grow to be as powerful and as brave as his older brother Scott. That filled him with courage just thinking about it. He wanted nothing more than to fill Scott's shoes. _I will help not just our country, but all countries! Watch me from Heaven, big brother… watch and guide me, as you always have… _Gordon prayed. It gave him comfort to pray to his brother's spirit. _I only hope I am worthy._


	15. Ch 2, part 6

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 6

The Dreadnaught Warship arrived in Palamecia in record time. It landed right next to the castle, where there was a clearing. The Dark Knights put up a bridge from the deck of the ship to the castle courtyard, making it incredibly easy to access the castle itself. Cantirena was ready to face Mateus right then and there, but she wasn't ready to question his methods. She still heard the screams of the townspeople who learned to trust her, who she in turn betrayed, just like she betrayed the citizens of Fynn. Their screams echoed in her thoughts, and while she prayed to the Goddess for forgiveness, she felt none of the divine love Minwu spent a lot of his time teaching her about in years past.

Cantirena crossed the bridge, and there he was in all his glory, waiting for her. "Your Grace, may I present to you, the Dreadnaught Warship," she announced the moment she was on solid ground. She bowed before him.

"Marvelous," Mateus said in awe. It was as if he couldn't believe what he saw, and yet, there it was right there in front of him. "Stand, Princess, you have done exactly what I expected of you, and even more. You must be _exhausted_ after all your hard work." He extended his hand to her. "Come, let me welcome you _home_."

"Why thank you, Your Grace," she said, standing up. She took his hand. Would she have what she sought after? What ended up costing many lives? Would she finally have his love and acceptance? "I… I am home."

"You must be excellent in leading the commoners," Mateus said as he led her through the main gate of the castle. "Completing that task was supposed to take another week and a half, and here you are, with it completed way before my deadline. You must tell me your secret."

Cantirena shook her head. "Oh, Your Grace, please, I have no secret. I only did… what I was taught."

"And what was that?" he asked again. "Your lifelong teacher was that of the great mage, Minwu, correct?"

"That's right," Cantirena looked at the castle all around her. Yes, it was fit to be the capital of an Empire. It was a lavish place, covered with beautiful decorations that glittered like gold. "Minwu was my teacher. When I had nothing else go on and no other way to proceed, I fell back on his words. Treat those less fortunate kindly, to understand their suffering… and to ease their pain. I had them work in shifts, so they would be in top shape when they did work. I had them fed, so they would have the strength and energy to stick with their work…" All of a sudden she had a hard time keeping her tears back.

_And then I abandoned them to let your Dark Knights slaughter them_, she thought angrily.

"So, you treated the refuse like they mattered, and they responded in turn," Mateus said, smiling slightly. "Your methods obviously worked, otherwise I would have called you a liar for telling me that spoiling your workers would give you results."

"Your Grace," Cantirena was going to say something, but she stopped herself.

"Well, my princess, I suppose I should show you around my castle, as it is your home now, too," Mateus laughed, looking at her. "What's this? Are you not happy that I have given you everything you wanted? You have traveled outside your home, you have come to the land you yearned to visit all this time, and you hold the hand of the man you have longed for."

"I am overjoyed, Your Grace," she answered, looking up at him. "Everything I've ever wanted is here."

"And, yet, you bear such a scowl," Mateus said, reaching to touch her face with his other hand. "I frighten you. You tremble the more I look at you. Tell me why."

"I could never fear you," Cantirena said, fighting back every urge she had to beat the hell out of him. "I could never fear the man I _love_. That wouldn't make much sense, now would it?"

Mateus nodded. "Perhaps you really are just so drained from all that has transpired that you absolutely must rest. This is all right. You will have your coronation later. I could not stand it if you were to hate me for any reason. I must admit… I have a fondness for you that I cannot hold back." He pulled her closer and reached down, kissing her ear. "And now that you're home, I can give it to you."

She melted at that idea, leaning against his glittery golden armor. "Your Grace," she whispered, her cheeks red with blush. "I… would be honored…"

"You're good enough at controlling the commoners that you could easily outrank everyone else in my army other than myself," Mateus said quietly. "You will be the most powerful woman in the world at my side, as long as you listen to me. When this war is over, you will be my bride and my Empress. Help me end this conflict, and you will have that which you most desire."

_That which I most desire?_ Cantirena thought, letting Mateus pick her up off her feet to carry her deeper into the castle. _When I was young and stupid, I thought all I wanted was to serve at your side as Minwu serves Hilda back home._ She clung to him as he carried her, but she didn't look at any more of the castle as they passed. _I wanted to help you bring about world peace that you spoke so passionately about at that council, and… here you are… killing innocents by the thousands… and here I am, in your arms, letting you. What… what the hell is wrong with this world?! What… what the hell is wrong with me?!_

"I know you quite well," Mateus' voice interrupted her thoughts. "What you want isn't quite world peace. You have powers surging through your body that even Minwu noticed the moment he met you the first time. Anyone that can sense magic can sense your powers. You are very magically inclined. The winds become blades in your hands, the heat in your body become fire at your fingertips. You must use these latent powers, my princess."

_Minwu did say I have powers unlike any he'd ever seen in a child,_ Cantirena thought. _I heard him talking about it with my parents. I might have been in the room I shared with Clarisse, but I heard Minwu telling them that I had powers that needed to be tamed. So, I started studying magic with him the next morning. Classes at the castle, unlike any other girl in the entire town! It was amazing._

"And by using these Goddess-given powers, you will become the Empress of everything the sun touches," Mateus added. "You aren't like any of the other girls in the entire world. You're different. You're special. You deserve to rule."

"I… don't think I could rule," Cantirena said, "Your Grace, I am astounded you would even claim that I'm capable of such."

"Nonsense," Mateus said. He put her down on her feet when they had come to Mateus' private quarters. "You are destined for greatness. Come with me, and I will show you everything." He walked along until he came to his bedside, and then motioned for her to come with him.

She suddenly felt a surge of dark power from somewhere around here. It wasn't coming from Mateus, though the Emperor did carry dark powers within him. When she looked up above the Emperor's headboard, she saw a large glowing stone. It surged with darkness unlike any she'd ever seen before.

"You have laid eyes on the Palamecian Royal Family's sacred treasure," Mateus said gently. "The Stone of Iluia. It has graced our family since the day our country was founded and grants us with powers unlike any monarchs in the world." Then he looked at Cantirena. "And will only amplify your own."

"You… want me to… amplify my powers, Your Grace?" Cantirena asked.

"It will lead you to your destiny, my love. Let it," Mateus continued, leading her onto the bed. "Let it lead you to places you've never been…"

"Your Grace," she said, finally starting to pull away. That energy scared the hell out of her. "Please don't make me do this!"

"Are you refusing me?" Mateus asked. "I thought you wanted to share my bed. You did _long_ for me, did you not? Come, let me give you what you've _desired_, princess."

"I didn't ask for this," Cantirena cried. "I didn't want this...!"

Mateus snatched her shoulder and pulled her until she sat on his lap. "But you did ask for this. You've wanted to be close to me since we met. How could I deny you, after you've done so much for me?" He kissed her ear again, knowing the effect it had on her. "You should tell me why you've come all this way, if it wasn't to be with me. Those feelings you had when you first met me, do they mean nothing? Of course _not_. You killed innocents to get where you are. To prove to me exactly what you would do for me, you slaughtered your own countrymen and forced prisoners of war to build my warship. You have proven yourself worthy of joining the Palamecian royal family. You are just as driven as the rest of us… we're going to take over this whole world, and you're going to give me your assistance."

"Your Grace, I… I would love nothing more than to assist you," Cantirena whispered, "But I do not believe I should… get near that darkness."

"Don't be," Mateus replied, continuing to kiss her ear. "Come with me. Share my bed."

Overcome by her drive, she couldn't help herself. She turned to face him, kissing him. At last, Mateus had her where he wanted her. The caresses, the kisses, the whispers of passion between the sheets were all a distraction. As she lay at his mercy, the darkness from the stone on the wall surrounded them both. While Mateus slowly made love to her, it seeped in like a slow moving poison.

Hours later, after they had finished with the dirty dance, Mateus ran his hand through her hair. "Sleep as long as you need," he said almost sweetly. She was barely coherent, and hearing him tell her to sleep was enough for her to slip off into dreamland. "It will be quite taxing on your body and you will not be ready to use it for a while. But when you are ready, this world will tremble before your powers mixed with that of the Demon King's."

_The Demon King has sought revenge on this world for being sealed in that damned stone by servants of the so-called Goddess… _Mateus thought. _And now, I am one step closer to achieving his revenge…_


	16. Ch 2, part 7

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 7

It was no easy task for the human-kite to follow along the tail wind of an enormous airship like the Dreadnaught, but Paul managed to do just that. He glided with it until the warship landed outside the grand castle of Palamecia. He wished he could just start throwing bombs from the clouds, but that wasn't going to work. He couldn't carry enough bombs, and there was no way a few ninja-spark scrolls were going to do any kind of damage to those walls. As he was making his decent, he noticed there was a tiny little village outside the wall. That's where he would hide until nightfall. He was a man of the night, after all. And what a night this was going to be!

He fell into a thicket, and while he wanted to yelp in pain, the nearby Black Knight guards kept him from doing so. So while he was uncomfortable and being poked in every region of his flimsy body by the thorns, he kept his trap shut and waited.

He saw a lot of women toiling the fields nearby, of all ages and races. They were working in the rice paddy and tending the crops of the soil, never given a break. In the few hours that he waited there in the thicket, he saw at least two ladies fall over from exhaustion, and he watched them beat the fallen until she got back up to work or until they were declared dead.

_This is what's in store for our ladies if that mega-tyrant is allowed to take over our world?! _Paul thought in disgust. It only strengthened his resolve to do some good for the rebellion while he was here. _The men are made into soldiers, and the women exist purely to sustain them… What a load of __**shit**__. Sorry, Empy, but I'm not gonna let you do this. No way, man. Women are gentle creatures who deserve love and adoration, I mean… hell, you were brought into this world by a woman! Would you do this to your own __**mother**__?!_

As it turned out, one of the ladies who he watched fall over was indeed the former Queen Regent, Lady Airu, who had probably the most sorry expression on her face of any of the women he saw. Paul was taken in by the woman's beauty, and as he watched her work, he figured she had to be some kind of royalty. Most of the girls working that field looked as if they wanted to cling to their lives desperately, while Airu had more on her mind than making sure each of the plants in the soil were tended well. Airu was the only woman there who was aged that much. Perhaps she knew her time was short, and that it wasn't worth fighting anymore?

As the sun went down, all of the women were allowed to put down their spades and take off their aprons to head to the shack in the center of the little village. The guards no longer cared about watching them do what they were doing, so they went off to drink themselves silly. Paul used the cover of night to sneak through the village, until he passed a window of the big shack.

Inside, all of the women were laying down on the floor. They had beds made of ragged blankets and piles of rotten-smelling hay. As he passed the window, he noticed that older blonde woman sat up, lit one solitary candle, and started reading. It seemed that in all that happened earlier, Airu was allowed to keep the book she was reading while staying in the castle. She read it with a passionate expression, like it was the one thing that kept her clinging to life.

A few moments later, another girl sat up next to Airu, looking at the book with her.

Paul looked inside the window, studying the second girl who looked very familiar. The girl had curly blue hair, something that was a bit of a trademark for Minwu's star student. Had he found her, finally? Oh, would that take a load off of Minwu's shoulders to find her home when he got back from Salamand! Paul smiled as he called out in a whisper, "Cantirena? Is that you?"

Both Airu and the blue haired girl turned to look at the window, and both were equally freaked out by the fact that there was a man in all black looking at them through the window.

"Cantirena?" Airu asked. "I've never heard that name before."

The blue haired girl shook her head. "My name is Candice…"

"Oh," Paul said sadly. "I'm very sorry, ladies, I…"

"Have you come from across the sea?" Candice asked. "Have you brought an army with you to set us free?!" She seemed so hopeful.

"Forgive me," Paul said. He frowned. "How I wish this was the truth, but no. I am here in the service of the Wild Rose Rebellion."

"You're a spy, then?" Airu asked. "Come to sneak into the castle to learn everything you can, I take it?"

"That's right," Paul nodded. He wasn't going to hide it. Man, that old lady was sharp. "I'm an Emissary of Her Highness, Princess Hilda."

"If this really is the case," Airu said. "I wish to tell you something you might find more valuable than anything you learn by risking your life in that castle." She brought her book over to the window to show Paul. "This land is cursed, young man. It has been since this country was founded. I didn't know anything of it until I came to live here, but… I have been reading a Palamecian history book which explains everything. You see, people didn't live here naturally. It's not a forgiving climate or landscape to inhabit, as you can plainly see. However, people migrated here after there was a conflict on the main continent. The original founder of the land, Palamecia the First, came here and built himself a castle to establish a new kingdom in the name of the Goddess Cosmos. He was a devout follower of her teachings and wanted everyone in the world to accept her as the one true deity of our world. But the creatures who lived in this land did not like that, and a war started between the demonic creatures and the humans. Using the power of the Goddess, the demonic forces that wanted to obliterate the people who had come to live here were sealed away into a stone called the Stone of Iluia, named after the head of the demons who faced Palamecia the First in deadly combat. Before dying, the Demon King Iluia swore revenge on the humans who sealed him away. It is of my personal belief that the Demon King still lives within that stone and… somehow… it corrupts the minds of those who come near it."

"Wow, my lady, that's some deep stuff," Paul said, "but it's that kind of knowledge that we need to stop this war from going on any longer. Hey, does the book say anything else about the stone, like maybe how to destroy it?"

Airu flipped through the pages. "I believe the only thing that could destroy something like this is a stone of the most holy purity to cancel out the evil sealed within the Stone of Iluia. Perhaps… a crystal would suffice, like the ones spoken of in the fantasy legends, as they were said to be the purest things in the entire world."

Candice came over there to look at the book with Paul and Airu. "Is it even possible to create a crystal?" she asked, cocking up one of her eyebrows. "I mean, how the hell would that even work? Aren't all of the crystals of the past destroyed now, due to wars in the past?"

"If anyone knows how to create a crystal, it would probably be Minwu," Paul thought aloud. "He's the only person I know who would even be able to attempt something that takes so much… I don't even know what the word is for it, but I'm sure Minwu would be able to do it. And if he couldn't do it, he could take it to his council of mages in Mysidia."

"You know the great mage Minwu?" Airu asked.

"Aye, my lady," Paul said, winking at her, "He is another who works in favor of the rebellion, and he's also a close friend of mine." He pushed the brown bangs out of his face, revealing that he had very clear, light green eyes. These were not the eyes of a liar.

Candice smiled at Paul. "Wow… Hey, mister, you think I might be able to come with you to infiltrate the castle? I… I want to join the rebellion, too!"

Paul grunted at that. "You're joking."

"It's not just your war," Candice said, standing up. She almost forgot to keep quiet, considering all the other ladies except Airu and Candice were asleep from sheer exhaustion after a hard day's torturing. "My homeland was sacked pretty quickly, and I don't even know where my father is anymore… So let me come with you to fight, to help somehow. I want to find my father again, please?"

"What do you know of sneaking into castles?" Paul asked.

Airu reached over to Paul. "Please take her with you. She's the only one in this entire village who hasn't lost her spirit. She has kept me company when no one else would. Please, young man, let her put her passion to use…"

"I… suppose I could, if you're asking me to," Paul said sheepishly. "All right, Miss Candice. You can come with me."

"Also, if you believe this text will help the rebellion," Airu said, "Then I want you to take it back to the Princess Hilda that you serve." She put the book into his hands. "You won't find another book like this in the entire world… Palamecian History is not allowed to be studied outside of Palamecia itself. The laws have been put in place for centuries. Take it."

"I… I…" Paul was flabbergasted. Who _was_ this old woman? "My lady, this is… I couldn't…"

"I will do anything in the world… to save my son and the land I love…" Airu said gently. "I will do anything in my power to stop this war…"

"Your son?" Candice asked. "That… that must mean… You must be the Queen Airu!"

"I am, or… well, I _was_ until just recently," Airu said, closing her eyes. "That curse has changed my son, as it changed his father before him. Please, young man, I beg you… find a way to save my son…"

"If I can make it happen," Paul said. "I will do everything I can, too. Trust me."

"Me, too," Candice added. "If I can do anything to end this war, you damn right I'll do it."

"The youth of this world fills me with joy," Airu said, tearing up. "You must go. You're losing precious time by speaking with me." She put her hand on Candice's shoulder. "Thank you for everything. You've been nothing but a friend to me since I met you."

"You've been through enough, Lady Airu," Candice said, slipping out the window to follow Paul. "Leave it to the rebels! This world isn't going to stay like this, I promise you. Place your trust in us."

"I have no choice but to do so," Airu said gently, blowing out the candle. "May Cosmos be with you both and lead you back to safety." She then laid back down with all the other ladies in the shack, taking her place among the slaves with nothing but a prayer in her heart. _Guide them, great Goddess… let them help my beloved Mateus find himself back in your light…_

Paul was ready to move. "All right, then. Silence from here on in."

"Roger," Candice said nodded in return.

Suddenly, something bothered Paul, so he stopped himself from taking another step in the direction of the large wall that kept the slave village separate from the castle and the Black Knight training grounds. "So, you don't have a weapon or anything, just in case, do you?" Paul asked her.

"I'm a prisoner of war who has spent the last two weeks in a shack full of other slaves. Do you think I would have a weapon?" Candice asked.

"Forgive me for asking," Paul rolled his eyes and reached into his sack. "Take this. It's one of my favorite daggers, if you lose or break it, I will be very cross with you." He handed her one of his twin daggers, which were both decorated in a very draconic design. "I got these in Deist, so, y'know, be careful with it." He held one in his left hand, and offered her one with his right hand.

"It's beautiful," Candice breathed out.

"Yep, sure is. Which is why I will be more than upset if anything happened to it," Paul said promptly. "I got these in my favorite marketplace in the entire world for a great price. Can't ask for anything better than that, now can I?"

"I guess not," Candice said, putting the dagger into her belt.

"All right. Stay close to me. We'll get out of here with all the information and loot we can carry. _Now_, we're running on silent," Paul said, looking at the wall. This was his test. Typically, he worked alone. But with a place this big, maybe it was best to work with someone else? Maybe? He didn't really know.


	17. Ch 2, part 8

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 8

Minwu, Clarisse, Gordon, and Firion all arrived in Poft with no problems whatsoever. The sailing went along perfectly, better than Gordon expected. Even with his being seasick at first, he managed to hang in there and not throw up over the side once. He felt proud of himself, but now that they came to their destination and it was time to split up, Gordon started to shake again. He was put on the task of finding Cid and asking about airships. What was the prince going to do by himself? He'd never been alone away from home before!

Minwu was ready to hike up to Salamand and speak to Josef as quickly as possible. "All right, Prince Gordon. It's up to you to find out what you can. Find Cid. Give him our password. Everything then should fall into place," he said to the young prince very calmly. "I know you can do this."

"I… I have to admit, I am still nervous about it," Gordon said, looking at the ground.

"We are on a mission on the behalf of the Princess," Clarisse reminded him. "We can't take any time to look into other things right now." She pat the young prince on his shoulder. "Wait here in Poft. We will be back through on our way home. I don't know how long it will take, so…" She reached into her pocket and gave him her coin purse. "One turn of generosity deserves another, your highness."

"But you will need funds in Salamand, will you not?" Gordon asked, feeling very put upon.

"I have plenty of gil that was given to me by the Princess," Minwu answered.

Clarisse just smiled at Gordon. "Just don't lose that pouch. Spend all the money you want, sure, but just don't lose the purse itself… it was my mother's."

"I will be sure to return it to you!" Gordon said, putting it inside his own pocket. "Thank you for trusting me with such a momentous task, Minwu. I… I hope it will help me gain the courage I need."

Firion waved to Gordon. The group was leaving the port town, which was even smaller than Paloom. Those three walked out of the town's borders, leaving the prince to take care of his own task.

"It's hard to believe anyone would trust me with anything," Gordon thought aloud. He looked around the tiny port, trying to pull himself together. "Well… the first thing they say about pubs is that they're a prime source of information… if there's any place to start… that must be it…"

Outside the town, Firion found himself face to face with an armored goblin. This one was not like the ones that were wandering outside Altair. It was significantly stronger, and smarter. He ran at it with his sword, while Clarisse backed him up with her own much thinner blade. It took more effort to kill than those other goblins he had fought before. It took at least four hits, and both of them had wounds before it finally died.

"That… that one…" Firion said, trying to catch his breath. "Minwu?"

Minwu used his magic to heal their wounds. "It looks as if the monsters are getting stronger," he said, closing his eyes. "Their dark powers… they come from a deeper source than the monsters we faced around Altair and Galtea."

"…A deeper darkness?" Clarisse asked, trying to picture where this kind of darkness would even come from. "Damn that Emperor! Not only does he take away my hometown and steal my sister, but he sets monsters on the places he _doesn't_ attack!?" She found it hard to hold back her rage, and when a monster came up behind her, she was able to kill it in one fell swoop. "Critical hit, bitch."

"You're a scary one when you're upset…" Firion said. "It takes a special kind of man to contain such primal rage like yours. Face it, Claire, you aren't ever getting married acting manly like that."

"Manly?" Clarisse asked, knocking him upside the head. "Why I ought to beat the hell out of you…"

"I understand that you're frustrated," Minwu said quietly, "But may I suggest you don't hurt members of our own party while we're on a mission?"

Clarisse blushed for a moment before nodding apologetically towards the wise mage. "Sorry," she said. "I just don't know what to do with all my rage…"

"I have an idea, if you'd be willing to try it out," Minwu said, reaching into his pouch. "I brought this with me just in case we needed it, and I think you might be able to get some use out of it."

"But… but I don't know anything about scrolls, or… or magic," she said. "That's what… my sister was good at and… I'm not sure if I…"

Minwu shook his head. "I will teach you how to wield it, if you are willing to learn," he said gently. "Take the scroll in your hands. Read it until you understand what it means. Magic comes from within your own spirit, and what kind of magic comes out of you is based on how you manipulate the powers inside your own body. This is why magic can be both good and evil."

"…and why you became Canti's teacher?"

"I had never seen a child with such magic potential, but besides that, I needed to keep that kind of magical potential from falling into the hands of evil," Minwu said carefully. "By guiding her heart down a path of righteousness, I might have saved a few lives down the road, which is my duty as a white mage. I live to protect and heal those who cannot stand up for themselves. It is better to prevent wounds than to have to heal them." He sighed, looking up at the sky. The winds were blowing much colder than next to the sea.

"Hey, look!" Firion said, pointing ahead. "It's snow!"

"Ew," Clarisse muttered, just looking at it. "Snow..."

"Oh, what do you know, you've never been in it," Firion said with a smile. "We can build snowmen or have snowball fights, or even-"

Minwu shrugged. "The last time you saw snow, you were but a child. How it shows."

"Well excuse me, Minwu," Firion said. "I just wanted to brighten the mood, is all."

Clarisse wished she wore higher boots than just ankle-highs as she started trudging through the light snow. Up ahead there was a large mountain range which went along the land as far as her eyes could see. Nestled right at the foot of those mountains was a town surrounded by a wall. A small stream of smoke came from the center, showing that people were still there, burning a fire.

"There it is," Minwu said, "The miner's town, Salamand."

"Salamand," Firion repeated the name of the town. "The place where I was born… I barely remember the town, but I remember the mountains and the snow. And…" As he trailed off, his expression turned sad. "…and I remember Mom and Dad, too."

Minwu placed a hand on Firion's shoulder. "Come, we've a mission to complete. Let us make haste."

…

At that exact point in time, the Emperor himself was relaxed in his bed, sitting below the glowing jewel which his family possessed ever since it was established. Beside him was Cantirena, who was still sleeping quite deeply after what happened just the night before. When he made the point to look down at her, he noticed that something was different. In the center of her forehead, she now bore the same kind of jewel he did in the center of his own.

"You have been accepted," he whispered to her, putting his hand on the jewel on her forehead. "The Demon King likes you quite a bit. You have made a wonderful offering." He bent down to kiss her cheek.

_When I first laid eyes on you… I knew this is where you belonged. _Mateus thought triumphantly. _ At my side, serving me. Minwu might have fooled himself into believing he could hide you forever from the forces of darkness. When I was a child, I could hear the whispers of the Demon King from the Stone of Iluia. He was there, in my mind, the day we first met. The Demon King Iluia told me you were going to come to my side after I ascended the throne of Palamecia. Of course, now… the voices have another task to ask of me, concerning you._

Cantirena moaned a little, her eyes opening very slowly. "Your Grace?" she asked, looking up at him. "Were you… watching me sleep?"

"I was," Mateus answered. "I was wondering what you were dreaming about."

"If I did dream, I don't remember what it was about," she said, closing her eyes again. "My whole body… feels heavy."

"That is natural," Mateus answered. "After joining with the dark magic, I was not able to function for a few days. I suspect you will have a longer recovery period, as you are not as used to darkness as I am." He bent down to look her straight in the eyes. "You have done well, my princess. Please, rest until you feel strong yet again. We don't have any plans for moving the troops any further than they are as of now."

"Your Grace," she whispered, reaching up to cradle his cheek in her hand. "I don't feel the same as I did when I arrived here."

"Of course not," he said, kissing the jewel on her forehead. "You have new magic power swimming inside your body, fusing to that of your own. While you feel heavy now, when the fusion is complete, you will be much stronger. And, not only that, but you have accepted the right to have a coronation into Palamecian Royalty. You are fit to be my bride, as you _wished _to be."

"…what?" Cantirena asked, noticing that Mateus was kissing a part of her that didn't used to be there before. "What is that?"

"The Mark of Ascension!" Mateus proclaimed loudly. "The same as my own!"

"Your Grace… how did that get there?" she asked again.

"Why, the Demon King Iluia bestowed it upon you, as he did to me," he said gently. He was starting to climb on top of her again, caressing every inch of her skin, kissing her in all the right places. He couldn't help himself. The Demon King's voice in his mind told him to make love to her yet again. "Just as he will give it to the heirs you will _give_ me."

"I can't even move, Your Grace…"

"_You_ don't have to," Mateus answered her. "I will do _all_ the moving for the both of us."


	18. Ch 2, part 9

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 9

Gordon's trip into the pub proved quite fruitful. While he felt frail being in the same place as many drunken pirates, off in the corner he found a man with goggles strapped to his head, a fluffy black mustache under his nose, and a cigarette sticking out of his mouth. The man looked more than approachable, as he was playing a game of poker with a group of men wearing the same overalls and goggles that he was. Gordon swallowed his fear and approached the group, trying not to catch the eyes of any of the pirates as he headed that way.

"Well, lookie here," one of the men wearing goggles said. "Ain't you a beauty?"

"You're drunk, Ned, that there's a man!" another said, whacking the first upside his head with his beer mug.

"That ain't no man," the second said, "Look at her squishy little arms and long flowing hair! She looks like the perfect lady to pour me a drink. C'mere, sweetheart, come sit on my lap."

Gordon couldn't believe what he was hearing. He stomped his foot onto the floor and said, "I am not a woman!" For the first time in his life, he sounded quite fierce.

The man at the head of the table looked up at Gordon, knocking a few of the ashes off of the end of his cigarette. "Ya'll pay your respects," he said sternly. "The boy is a prince."

"A _prince_?" the first man wearing goggles asked, rubbing his eyes while staring at Gordon. "A pretty puffy prince in a pub of a town that doesn't even have a _castle_? Come on, Cap'n, you're joking."

"I'm not. This young man was present at the royal court of Fynn when I was about three years ago, right before I finished my prototype airship, the Hilda Guard. I believe he was announced to be a prince of Kashuon," the captain said quietly, surprising all of his crew. "Tell me, young man, what are you doing in this sort of establishment without any body guards?"

"I don't have body guards," Gordon said. "My brother and the knights who pledged loyalty to me have all fallen at the hands of the Emperor. I come looking for a man named Cid on the behalf of Princess Hilda of Fynn." He stood up tall, and while he was speaking, he tried to sound more like his older brother. "So, do you know where I can find Cid? I'd rather not waste any more of your time, if you don't."

"You're a brave boy," the captain said kindly. "And I like that. Nice to meet you, son. I'm Cid. This here is my crew. Now, what can we do for a man like you? We're just common folk, you know."

Gordon nodded. "Very well, Sir Cid-"

"You hear this one? 'Sir' Cid, he calls me," the captain laughed, and the rest of his crew laughed with him. "Spare me the formality, please. I gave that up when I left Fynn a long ass time ago."

Gordon tried again. How frustrated could one prince get during one simple conversation? He was about to find out. "All right… Cid. I come seeking answers about airships."

"For that you have come to the right man," Cid said, smiling. "What exactly would you like to know, Prince? How they run? What they run on? How they're built? You want to build your own, perhaps?" With that came a chuckle from a few of the crewmates.

"Actually," Gordon said, "The Empire has finished building their own airship, but it's not a typical one at all. It's bigger than a mountain, big enough to blot out the sun completely. They call it the Dreadnaught Warship. I have come to ask you how we would… destroy such a machine."

"The Dreadnaught?" Cid asked, shaking his head slowly. "Truth is, Prince, all airship engines that I've ever known, including the ones I have built myself… they all run on Sunfire. That's what burns the fuel inside the engine, and makes it move forward."

"It's not flying because of the propellers attached to it?" Gordon asked curiously.

"Nah, those are for keeping it afloat, but they are not made to move it in any direction," Cid explained. "Airships are difficult to explain to someone that's not mechanically inclined, so I apologize if there's any confusion, but… I'm sure if you took some of the Sunfire from Kashuon Keep and put it into the engine of the Dreadnaught, it would combust in a way that would completely destroy the machine."

"But, I thought it ran on Sunfire…?"

"They do," Cid said. "But you don't remember me sneaking into your castle in Kashuon and stealing your fire, do you? I never did anything like that at all, because not just anyone can take the Sunfire from the Eternal Brazier. I made a synthetic Sunfire with alchemy to fuel my airships. Even though Kashuon was invaded by the Empire, I severely doubt that they've actually been able to take any of it."

Gordon nodded, putting all of that together in his mind. "Only an heir of Kashuon can find the Egil's Torch," he said carefully. "Only an heir can take the Sunfire because only an heir can get the torch that can carry the Sunfire!"

"That's exactly right," Cid said, taking a drag on his cigarette. "Now I can tell you that synthetically made Sunfire is nowhere near as potent or as strong as the real thing. I know this because eventually, the man-made stuff will just stop burning. You have to keep making more of it, the longer you want to fly. If you put the real stuff in an engine made for it, it would never need to be refilled ever again. But… if you put the real stuff in an engine not made for it…"

"The engine wouldn't be able to use it, and thus would explode," Gordon finished his sentence.

"You catch on quickly, Prince," Cid said. "So what can I do for you?"

"Can you fly me to Kashuon?" Gordon asked.

"That's 800 gil a person," Cid said.

Gordon crossed his arms. "Hey, I'm trying to help save the world here…"

"Sorry, Princey, we have families to feed and whatnot. Conversation might be free, but I'm still running a business," Cid said it so nonchalantly as he stuffed his now shortened cigarette down into the ashtray. "I can take you to Kashuon, but it's 800 gil. You want to go, or what?"

Gordon wanted to go, but he also remembered that Minwu asked him to stay here in Poft while he and the others went to Salamand to retrieve Hilda's mythril. He thought about it for a good twenty minutes, and by then, Cid was getting pretty impatient over the whole ordeal.

"Well?" Cid asked. "I've not got all day."

"I don't see any other customers lining up," Gordon snapped back at him.

"Ooooh, he got you there, cap'n," one of the crew members towards the back said, ripe with snark. "Our wallets are as empty as our bellies."

"Shut up, you drunk dolt, you been spendin' all your gil on beer," another said, whacking the other crew member with his beer mug.

"I didn't ask you, ya ninny!"

"C'mere and say that to mah face, ya girly piece of shit!"

Gordon wasn't sure what to make of this at all. Cid watched as his crew were starting yet another bar fight. It left Gordon alone to ponder the situation for a bit.

_I have several issues with going back to Kashuon Keep, but on the other hand, it would really save time if I could go there and get the Sunfire instead of having to wait around for everyone else. I know that it requires a test for me to pass, but I don't even remember what that is or what it entails… _Gordon thought. The more he thought about it, the more he got a headache. Oh, how did he get into these kinds of situations anyway? Damn it all, and he wanted to be helpful, to be useful, to do something right!

"All right, Cid," Gordon said, pulling out Clarisse's coin purse. "I'll pay your fare. I will go and fulfill my destiny as the last remaining heir of Kashuon."

"Like I said," Cid said, standing up and straightening out his beloved goggles, "I like a brave man, Prince Gordon."

Cid led Gordon out to the airship. It wasn't very big, and it could barely hold the crew who worked on it, but it sure did make Cid feel right at home. It was obvious just how much he loved flying that thing. Goggles over his eyes, white scarf ruffling in the wind, it was like he was king of the world.

"If I may, Cid," Gordon said once they took off into the sky. "Might I ask you a question?"

"You can ask me anything ya want," Cid answered. "So go ahead."

"If you are the inventor of the airship," Gordon thought aloud, "Then how exactly did the Empire learn how to make airships?"

Cid gave him a really, really hard stare. He almost wanted to give Gordon a full refund right there on the spot, turn around, and refuse to take him anywhere for that. But when he realized that Gordon didn't mean it in a way that might be considered offensive, Cid just went back to what he was doing. "I… this is not my original ship," he said. "My first one, well, it was stolen one fine afternoon… the person who stole it flew it right into enemy territory, where it was shot down. I'm afraid that I'll never get back my Hilda Guard, and… the Empire learned the secrets of my airship technology by studying the machines in the crash."

"That's terrible," Gordon said quietly. "Forgive me, Cid, I didn't mean to upset you."

"Nah, that's all right. Ships are replaceable, young man," Cid said, pointing out to the east. He almost seemed like he wanted to cry, even if he said ships were replaceable. "Out there is Kashuon Keep. You really sure you wanna go out that way?"

"I paid you, didn't I? I know there's a chocobo's forest right next to the castle, should I need to flee on my own. No monster alive can catch up to a chocobo," Gordon said, trying to not think about the flashbacks of the fall of his kingdom.

_Scott… I'm coming home… all by myself. I need your strength, big brother. I need it now more than ever!_


	19. Ch 2, part 10

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 10

Laying there on the Emperor's bed, Cantirena pretended she was asleep. Every time the Emperor saw she was awake, he managed to seduce her into not resisting him, and she wasn't even sure how much time had passed since she came to Palamecia anymore. They were so deep inside the castle, there wasn't any natural way of telling if the sun had come up or gone down again. There was no way of knowing, and she was all ready bad at keeping track of schedules even when she knew what time of day it was. Mateus did not leave her side, which seemed strange to her. Didn't he have ruling duties to attend to? Didn't the people need his guidance? She didn't want to look at him now. Her body had enough. She needed to rest, like he kept telling her, but as much as he had taken her, she wondered about that. It was more than strange.

Every now and then, she would hear him grunt in pain. Even if Cantirena asked what it was from, she was quite sure that he would not tell her why he sounded this way. She all ready knew. There was no way he would divulge that kind of answer.

Even so, lost in all that time, she had plenty of time to think. Over everything she'd done in her life from growing up alongside her sister, under the careful watch of the royal mage Minwu, and the day that changed her life forever. She had plenty of time to wonder about making different choices along the way. If she would have taken Borghen's offer to run away from the Empire and all it was doing.

But she stayed.

She made the conscious decision on her own, without any outside force at all, to stay with it. Knowing what Borghen said was right, knowing that she was just another cog in Mateus' war machine, and knowing that she would be told to kill yet again in the name of the Palamecian Empire.

Why?

_Well that's a stupid question to ask myself,_ Cantirena thought. _Considering everything Mateus has told me has been spot on. I was planning on leaving Fynn, under the guise of wanting to study the world's magic, to search for this place. I wanted to be here. I wanted to be with Mateus from the moment I laid eyes on him._

"You aren't asleep," Mateus said, tapping her shoulder. "I know you aren't asleep."

"Your Grace," Cantirena replied quietly. "What are you talking about? You've told me to rest, so I was resting." She felt stronger than she did yesterday, finally able to sit up without any aid. "Besides, with all the activity you've given me, it's a miracle that I'm even coherent at all."

"And here I thought that would make you _happy_." Mateus said. He leaned down to put his chin right on her shoulder. "I want you to answer me truthfully, right now. No hesitation."

"Ask me anything, Your Grace," she whispered. "I have no secrets to hide from you."

"Hmm, we shall see," Mateus almost laughed. "Will you go to war for me?"

"Absolutely."

"Will you kill the enemies of the Crown of Palamecia?"

"Without fail."

"Will you kill even your beloved traitor teacher, Minwu?"

"Your Grace…" That question hit her like a sack of bricks. "…is there no way I could convince him to join your ranks and serve you? Minwu is a talented man, full of wonderful power-"

"But he is an enemy to the crown," Mateus said sternly. "And you will kill the enemies of the crown, will you not? You _question_ me, your Emperor and the man you love?"

Cantirena shook her head. "I do not question you. All that I've done up to this point is to prove that I do love you. If I didn't, I wouldn't have had that Dreadnaught built for you, and I certainly wouldn't have killed the people from the town of my birth. I do not question you, Your Grace. I adore you. I worship you. But I must plead on the behalf of Minwu. I would plead for no other man in this world. Anyone else, I would snap like twigs beneath a stallion's hooves, my love, I _swear_ it." Tears formed in her eyes. "Your Grace, have _mercy_."

_Do not ask me to kill Minwu… please do not ask me to kill my teacher… I could not bear that…_

Mateus sat upright. "Your love is deeply rooted and hard to kill. When you have love for something, it's like a part of your very being. That is one reason why I've come to like you as much as I have. I know that when you say you love something, you mean It," he said, putting his hand on her chest, right over her heart. "Knowing that I am in here is knowing that you are undyingly loyal. There is only one problem with that…" He put his other hand other her chin and made her look at him. "…and that is the fact that you love more than just me. I'm a particularly jealous person, and knowing you love someone else. That you can be loyal to someone else."

"Your Grace…"

"I do not want to keep you as a prisoner as you have so much potential to lead the common folk," Mateus said, staring into her eyes. "They like you, they'll bond with you…"

"…and they'll die with me," Cantirena added sadly.

"You are upset about what happened at Bafsk," Mateus said.

"Yes, Your Grace, I am," she said. "Because I promised them-"

"You lied to them, and they knew that you lied to them. They knew not to _trust_ you. You were working for an enemy force. The people were not duped by your _soft_ words," Mateus said, his words charged with some sort of hatred that scared her. "Any one with half a brain would know not to trust _you_, as you are a traitor to the land of your birth and those who have raised you. You made the decision, my love, to become the enemy of all that you knew because you _love_ me. So, having this fact fresh in your memory, can you honestly tell me that you love someone who will never trust you _again_? Can you love a man that will probably raise his weapon and his magic against you the next time you meet?!"

Cantirena froze. How was she even supposed to respond to that?!

"You love _me_, my little Cantirena. You serve _me,_ my little princess," Mateus said. "You made that decision yourself. You brought this whole world upon yourself, my dear. You cannot tell me that you are unhappy, finally getting exactly what you started?"

"Your Grace," Cantirena cried. "You… are right. You're always right."

Her heart sank lower and lower.

"You are never wrong, my Emperor, because you are my beloved and my master," she said, closing her eyes. "And I will die to prove my loyalty to you, if I must."

"You don't need to _die_ to prove anything," Mateus said gently. "You must only do what I tell you, without question, without hesitation."

"If that is your will, then so be it," Cantirena answered, feeling his hands start to caress her skin yet again. "I will be your most obedient servant."

"Then the moment your eyes lock onto that of Minwu… you are to take his life, and bring his head back to me," he whispered in her ear. "I will be the only one in your heart, now and forever."

When Cantirena opened her eyes again, she found Mateus close enough to kiss her. "You are my one and only love," she said, feeling her soul ache with every word. "I can have none other than that of my Emperor. Who else would I love, other than you?"

"No one," Mateus answered. "You will love no one but me."

They kissed, and that kissing turned into more. Who knows how much time passed? Who even cared? As Cantirena let Mateus possess her for the umpteenth time, she felt herself fall deeper and deeper into the darkness that he was filled with. She had what she wanted, she just had to accept how it came along.

_**END CHAPTER TWO**_


	20. Ch 3, part 1

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

_**CHAPTER THREE BEGINS**_

Part 1

Salamand was a small community made of small brick houses, covered in a thick blanket of snow. Each of the chimneys in town had a small trail of smoke coming out of them. There were a few snowmen made by the children around the houses, and the inn smelled of fresh baked bread. Even though Minwu said earlier that the Empire was in control of Salamand, it really didn't seem that way. The town looked as peaceful as any other, like it wasn't a part of this world which was strangled in the middle of a war.

Women were pretty much everywhere, tending to the children. When Clarisse took a moment to look around, she realized that there were no men anywhere in Salamand.

"Hey, Minwu…" she said quietly.

"Yes?" Minwu asked. He was headed for the largest house in town.

"Does something seem a bit off to you?" Clarisse asked. "Like, maybe… some people are missing?"

Firion scratched his head. "I see a whole lot of women and children, but…"

"There's not a single man here," Minwu said. "Yes. I can see that. We should go quickly to see Josef."

"If he's even there…" Clarisse grunted.

In front of the biggest house in the village was a woman wearing light armor. Her hair was up in a ponytail, and she had a look of dread on her face. As Minwu approached her, she had an expression of abject fear across her face.

"Strangers!" she cried. "Strangers have come again!"

Suddenly the front door of the house opened and out stomped a large man with big hands, ready to throw punches. He had not a hair on his head, save for that of his tiny mustache, and he wore a green poncho. He was taller than anyone Firion or Clarisse had ever seen. "Damn Imperials! What _more_ can you take from us?!" he roared loudly.

"Well met, Josef," Minwu said, extending his hand.

"…Lord Minwu?" Josef asked, immediately dropping his hand, which was in mid-punch. "So Princess Hilda finally decided to act, now that _her_ land's been taken? What a selfish bitch."

"I would refrain from insulting her so," Minwu's voice became forceful. "We have not come just on the behalf of Her Highness, but of the entire force. Kashuon and Fynn have combined their efforts to stop the Empire, and we have come asking for your support."

"What support can I give?"Josef asked, trudging back into his house. "Come on in. If nothing else, I can serve ya some tea to warm ya from the inside."

Clarisse, Firion, and Minwu all followed Josef into his house, and after they were all inside, Josef closed the door. The house was big, though it felt very empty. He had them all sit at a table and put out a very old-looking teapot and four teacups.

"I can't give ya much," Josef grunted, "But far be it from me to not show some hospitality."

"You don't have to do anything for us," Firion said. "That's not what we're here for."

"Unfortunately, boy, I can't give you any information at all," Josef answered. He put out a little canister full of sugar and a few spoons, too. "So I will give you this before I tell you to get your butt back to your princess and protect her before the Empire makes its next move and takes your leader, all right?"

Minwu had never seen Josef act so nervous. Normally, he was the most laid back person. Josef was well known for being a very loving, happy man. That's when he noticed that something else was missing from the house.

_Where is his daughter?_ Minwu thought. Then it occurred to him that maybe, just maybe, the Imperials took the one thing that was most precious to Josef and kept him there in town to prevent the other women and children from leaving and getting help.

"What are you waiting for?" Minwu asked. "It would be rude to refuse Josef's hospitality." He poured himself a cup of tea, and after pulling down the part of his turban which covered his face, he drank the tea. It wasn't something he was used to doing, but he did it anyway. Even living in the castle, Minwu did not participate in a lot of the customs royalty were exposed to. He much preferred to stick to his books and scrolls in privacy. Well, until he decided to take on the job of teaching a student. Then he didn't mind being bothered so much.

"Something isn't right," Clarisse said quietly. "He's not acting very normally."

Firion looked over at Josef. "Hey, Josef," he called to the older man. "Come sit down with us. You look like you could use a break yourself."

"Nah, boy, I can't drink that tea," Josef said brashly. "Only tea I drink is made by my Nelly. Tastes way better than mine."

Clarisse poured herself a cup and stirred in a bit of sugar. "So, where is she? She sounds like a darling girl, and I would really love to meet her."

Josef gave them a very hard glare, as if he wanted to scare them out of his house and out of his town. He wanted to scream, he wanted to roar.

_If only I could tell you without… without fearing something would happen to my beloved Nelly… _Josef thought helplessly. _If only there was a way…_

Firion rose his hands defensively. "I'm sorry, Josef. I didn't mean to make you upset or anything like that. I bet she's really happy with her mother."

Josef walked over to Firion and punched him right in his face as hard as he could muster. Blood splattered onto both Josef's fist and on the floor. "Are you bastards with the Empire, you snot-nosed little brat?!" He gave Firion another punch, this time in the gut. "How _dare_ you say anything about my daughter or my wife! Get the hell out of my house, all of you!"

With that, Minwu and Clarisse dragged Firion out of Josef's house. After healing Firion with his magic, Minwu was at a loss for what to do. He didn't even ask about the Mythril they had come to get, and there was no way they were going to be able to attack the Empire without weapons that could compete with those of the heavily armored Dark Knights.

"Great job, Firi," Clarisse grunted.

"Hey, I didn't know that mentioning his daughter or his wife would set him off," Firion said, straightening his armor to be the way he wanted it.

"I can identify," Minwu said quietly. "This must be about his daughter."

"Yeah, if anyone says anything about Canti, it always catches your attention," Clarisse said, smiling.

The woman from before was standing right there, watching them talk. She still looked scared, but she also seemed curious. When she managed to catch Minwu's attention, she pointed towards the inn and motioned for him to follow after her. Minwu nodded, and the three of them went to the town's inn, where the woman shut them in one of the rooms with her. She closed and locked the door.

"You three… you aren't Imperials, are you?" she asked in a hushed whisper.

"No, we come on the behalf of Princess Hilda of Fynn," Firion replied in the same volume.

"Well… if you are, then I'll tell you what happened," the woman said. "One day, the Emperor of Palamecia came here to Salamand and spoke to Josef. He brought with him a vast army of heavily armored knights. The Emperor wanted mythril. Josef refused to just hand it over. There was a battle, but not many were killed because the Emperor told them not to kill our citizens. The men of our town were taken away, and… to keep Josef from sending any word to anyone else about it, so was Nelly."

"Where did he take them?" Clarisse asked.

"I would assume he took them to the place where the mythril ore is mined, which is in Semitt Falls," the woman answered. "If you have a map, I can show it to you."

Minwu pulled out his trusty map, and the woman pointed to a place where a waterfall fell into a very large lake that might have been even bigger than Lake Fynn, surrounded mountains to the west of Salamand. "That's Semitt Falls," she said. "If you go into the mountains, there's a cave. The mythril deposit is in there."

"Thank you, my lady," Minwu said, folding his map back up. "This information is most helpful in our efforts."

"You're welcome," she said. "Just bring our men and Nelly back with you. Maybe then, Josef will return to the man he has always been. Ever since losing his wife, Nelly has been his whole world. Not having her, he's so distraught, like… like he doesn't know who he is or what to do. And to keep the rest of us safe, he doesn't make any sudden moves…"

"We will do what we can," Minwu said, trying to reassure the woman. "I have lost someone precious to me at the Emperor's hand, so I am very aware of how Josef is feeling right now."

The woman unlocked the door to let them all out of the room.

"Safe travels, friends," she said, trying to smile. "May you find what you seek."

_Having to keep your language cryptic like that… that must be terrible, _Clarisse thought. _Knowing that at any moment, someone could tell your secret and then the Emperor's lackeys could come here and terrorize what's left of the town…_ She sighed. _That's just… I couldn't imagine living life like that. I guess if Fynn had resources for the Empire to exploit, then it wouldn't have been a massacre that day… but it's hard to say which would be better. Losing all that life, or losing the freedom of living the way you want…_


	21. Ch 3, part 2

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 2

Cantirena found herself waking up to powers she'd never had before. She could tell they were surging through her body, and feeling them gave her this desire to use them on something to test them out. She sat up, finally ready to get out of the Emperor's bed after what must have been days at his mercy. Cantirena lost count of how many times Mateus had taken possession of her body. She didn't want to think about that very much, as the memories were still very fresh. The first few times left her in pain from her waist down. It was her first time experiencing that kind of touch. After a few times, she knew what to expect, and it hurt much less.

But he was there, sitting at a nearby table, holding up a goblet full of red wine, wearing absolutely nothing but the decorative beads in his hair and the crown he was rarely, if ever, seen without. "So, you've come back to me," he said, taking a sip. "Tell me, how do you feel?"

"Like _killing_ something," she answered. When she noticed she was still naked, she pulled the sheets around herself.

Mateus smiled. That's exactly what he wanted to hear. "I will have fresh clothes brought for you, and you may bathe in here. It wouldn't do for you to go out smelling like me. Once you are ready, we will put that drive to good use." He stood up, coming closer to her. "I will see you again."

"Of course, Your Grace," Cantirena said, bowing her head. "Nothing would please me more."

Before leaving, Mateus once again kissed the newly formed jewel on her forehead which matches his own.

_Does he always walk around in his castle naked? _Cantirena thought. _I suppose since he is the Emperor, so he could get away with anything in his own castle…_

A bath was just what she needed, though. Maids came in to fill the tub, and when it was done, Cantirena had a nice long soak. It gave her time to gather her thoughts, not that she had as many as when she had arrived in Palamecia. Her mind became very clouded, and the only things she really wanted to do was serve Mateus to the best of her ability and to test her newfound power. Before, she had a lot of thoughts of Minwu. Now? It was like she didn't remember she had a teacher. Or, rather, it was more like she didn't remember anything about her past at all.

How did she come to live in Palamecia? How did she meet Mateus? How did she become the Emperor's consort? She didn't remember, and when she tried to think about these things, it made her head hurt worse than any headache she could imagine. Thinking about Mateus, made the pain melt away. Relishing in the powers she woke up with, that made her feel good. Enjoying the soak in the water itself, without asking any questions whatsoever? That made her feel the best.

It could have been three hours, or it could have been twenty minutes. How much time she was in the bath didn't matter at all. Cantirena dressed herself with the robes provided, and she was walking out in the hallway when she was greeted by Mateus yet again.

"There you are," he said, taking her hand. "Come. You said you felt like _killing_ something?"

Just the thought of that made Cantirena smile. "Yes, Your Grace, I certainly do."

"We leave right now. Let us take the Dreadnaught on a World Tour!"

…

Prince Gordon was dropped off right in front of Kashuon Keep. He hadn't been there since the day the Empire destroyed Kashuon. He could hear the voices fresh in his mind: maids screaming, townspeople trying to flee into the nearby woods to no avail, and that of his loyal retainers telling him exactly what to do.

"_Your Majesty, you must flee! Take this chocobo! No man or monster alive can catch up to a chocobo. Remember, head for Fynn. Do not stop until you get there. Don't even look back."_

"_But, Roderick, you can't expect me to-"_

"_You are a sweet man, my prince, for worrying about me in such crisis, but it is my job to worry about you."_

"_There… that one! He wears the fire seal! Grab him!"_

"_Over my dead body, bastards! Go, my prince! The time has come for you to grow up and be the man you are destined to be!"_

The sword clashes echoed through his memories, and he could hear them as if it was happening right there around him. Gordon could hear the battle happening all around him and it brought nothing but tears to his eyes. Why did he not have the courage of his brother? Why did _he_ have to be the last remaining Kashuon? Scott would have been able to walk through this castle with no problems at all. He was sure that not even the memories of past battles would stop him from doing this.

Gordon walked up to the gate and put his hand up. The door swung open for him, knowing exactly who he was. The bottom floor of the Keep was empty now, save for the Eternal Brazier which sat in the very center. It was supported by six different, smaller pillars. Gordon walked up to it, his eyes locked onto that of the precious Sunfire, which had always been the symbol and pride of the Kashuon royal family. It burned brighter than any fire in the entire world, and it had always been burning ever since it started.

"Eternal Fire, grant me your strength…" Gordon said quietly, staring into it. "…so that I may burn as brightly as you."

He heard a click somewhere nearby.

Gordon looked around, noticing there was a door with a fire emblem on it. He walked over to that door and put his hand up again. "This must be it," he said, "The door to the trial. I must have that torch. I need the Sunfire to avenge my country and save countless others…" Gordon concentrated on the door. "Open in the name of the heir of Kashuon!"

The heavy door slid open, and when Gordon walked through, it immediately shut again.

"That's pleasant," Gordon grunted, taking a few steps into the darkened halls. There were a few torches that lined the walls here and there, but for the most part, the Kashuon Keep had become a very dark place. It was weird seeing it like this, as he used to live in these very halls. They did not feel the same as when he was a child. In fact, he didn't remember Kashuon Keep looking so _ancient_ before. Auras of all sort circled around him as he walked through the darkness.

Gordon could have sworn he heard voices. He tried to be as quiet as possible, as to listen to what was being said down the hall.

"Gordon," a voice called out to him, "How _dare_ you return to Kashuon!"

"What?" Gordon asked, looking around. "Who's there?!"

"Only the souls of those who you have _failed_!" the voice shouted. "You are a terrible prince and should have died the day we did!"

Gordon shook his head, unable to figure out who was talking to him. "Please, I come to make amends…" he said quietly.

"Yeah, make amends…" the voice said sarcastically. "…what good will it do us now, failure? The souls of Kashuon cannot rest with you as the heir! Your brother would be a much more suitable heir than you."

"I'm quite aware of this," Gordon said, nodding in agreement. "Oh, how well I know this to be the truth…"

_Is it possible that the castle is… haunted now? _Gordon thought, taking a torch from the wall. Some parts were too dark for his liking, so he decided to take some light with him. The only magic he knew was a simple cure spell. He wasn't as useful as Minwu, who was able to use his staff to create light. _Could it be that these… these floating feelings are...?_

"We have been here since the day Kashuon fell," the voice explained. "Every spirit, trapped here. Every man, woman, and child who were slaughtered while you and Scott fled… are here, within this castle, bound to it… We cannot move forward…"

"Is… is there something here, preventing you from going on?" Gordon asked. "What could it be?"

"We… want our revenge," the voice answered. "And we will get it… we died protecting _you_, Prince Gordon of Kashuon. All of your people are _dead_! You will rule… _alongside _us!"

"No!" Gordon was afraid. He ran back to the door he came through and tried to open it, by chanting everything he could remember being taught. The door would not open for him. He pounded on the door in desperation, calling out for help. "I do not wish to die! Help me! I am not the brave one! Help me, my brother, _help me!_"


	22. Ch 3, part 3

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 3

Paul and Candice were inside the Palamecian capital, having climbed the wall between the village and training ground over the course of a night. It was amazing how they weren't spotted at all, and now that the day had come again, the two were hopping between bushes until they could find the castle courtyard. Not that it was easy, considering the castle was atop a set of stairs that could have been almost as tall as the mountain the castle was built into.

"We'll have to climb some _more_," Candice whispered angrily. "Let's just snag one of those airships over here and high-tail it out of here. I hate Palamecia with every bit of my being, I'm tired of being here."

"Hell no," Paul replied. "I've gotta get _something_ to take back with me." He noticed that atop the large set of stairs, there was some kind of commotion. "We've gotta get up there. Something is going on…"

A few armored knights passed by, dragging normal men away wearing what must have been just a loincloth. The men struggled to get free, but there was no way they could. Being dragged in the heat and through the sand gave Paul the impression that it really hurt, especially after noticed that they also had bloody wounds on their backsides.

When the coast looked clear, they darted to another set of bushes and found a shadowy part of the mountain to climb up. It took a while, but the higher they went, the more they could see what was going on. Guards up closer to the castle were loading supplies, food, and weaponry onto the Dreadnaught Warship.

"Cosmos almighty," Candice breathed out. "That's gotta be the biggest airship that's ever been built…"

"Oh yeah it is. By the way, how do you think I got here?" Paul asked. "I used my kite cape and rode its tail wind. Damn straight, it's the biggest. Just flying over towns knocked them for a loop. Just imagine what would happen if that thing ever _attacked_."

Candice said, "We're stuck so far up shit creek, we don't have to worry about finding a paddle. We're all ready drowning in it. No one alive can stop that behemoth."

"At least… not from the outside," Paul corrected her. He smiled at the thought of it. "All right, you got me. Let's hijack an airship, Candice. Let's hijack that one."

"Let me get this straight," Candice thought aloud. "You want to sneak onboard that flying fortress which is bigger than most mountains, filled with probably a billion armored knights who are all on patrol constantly, and try to make it to the cockpit without being caught by anyone."

"Well, I am the world's greatest thief," Paul said proudly.

"And the world's biggest damn idiot," Candice groaned. "I say we wait it out until that thing leaves and make off with one of the littler ones. We might actually, I don't know, stand a chance that way? Besides, there's no way you know how to pilot an airship. When you get to the cockpit, what do you plan on doing?"

"Well if I can't fly it, maybe I can blow it up," Paul suggested, his grin getting even bigger.

"Not a chance," Candice said, looking at the Dreadnaught as carefully as she could. "That thing is made of solid mythril. And even if you blew up one tiny part of it with your pathetic ninja-spark spells, I bet you that they can have it fixed within a day, and still go on their rampage to kill every person on this planet without breaking a sweat." She watched the men carrying creates inside the hull of the ship. "No, Paul. The secret of taking care of something like this would be the engine, since it's connected to every other part of the ship. If I remember right, airships run on Sunfire."

"How would… you know something like that?" Paul asked. "Wait. Exactly who is your father, again? You never told me."

"Shut up and let me think," Candice snapped at him, starting to climb up the mountain again. "I want to get a better look at exactly what's going on."

"They're preparing to go on the offensive, that's what's going on," Paul followed her up.

Then, the large gates of the castle opened. There was the sound of a very loud horn, and two figures came walking out of the gate, both wearing crowns. Paul couldn't believe his eyes. There was the Emperor, large glittering golden bull horns and all, walking down the path with a lovely girl with dark blue hair. The same color that he remembered Minwu's student having, and the same color hair Candice had, too…? This had to be more than just a coincidence. Blue hair was a rare thing, and Paul was convinced the only two people in the world who had blue hair were Cantirena, Minwu's prized student, and her older sister, Clarisse.

"Cantirena?" Paul asked in a hushed whisper. "Wha… what's Cantirena doing with… with the _Emperor_?!"

"There's that name again," Candice grunted. "You called out to me, thinking I was this Cantirena or whoever." She watched Paul's expression turn to abject horror. "Who is that girl?"

"…my best friend's student," Paul answered. "Minwu's student, almost… kinda like his adopted daughter, honestly. As Minwu and I have both served Princess Hilda with our talents for most of our lives, we know a lot about each other. Cantirena has been Minwu's student for over ten years. What the hell is she doing here, wearing a _Palamecian _crown?! Last I heard back in town, she'd gone missing during the attack on our capital, Fynn…" He wanted to stop everything and scream at her. He wanted to beat the Emperor within an inch of his life before cutting his beautiful head off. "Oh I can't let this just sit where it is, Candice. I have to find out what's going on. Minwu's going to kill somebody over this…"

Candice shook her head. "Going into that airship is tantamount to suicide, Paul. Let's get a smaller airship and actually make it out of here before trying to attempt a rescue…"

"You can do that if you want," Paul said angrily. "But I'm getting on that Dreadnaught. Even if I can't rescue her, I'm going to find out everything I can." He started climbing in that direction so that he might be able to hop onto the deck or something without being seen. "I have to see this through for Minwu."

Candice sighed, following him. She didn't know why she was doing it, other than the fact that he agreed to take her with him out of this Goddess-forsaken country. Yeah, that was it. But she was really starting to hate how illogical he was. The man didn't want to think anything through. It was just 'go steal stuff, listen in, we'll be fine, don't worry'. Well, having been captured and enslaved by the Imperials before, this looked incredibly stupid to Candice. All she could see was being caught by those damn Dark Knights yet again, and finding herself back at the village where she was tending the fields by force. Two weeks of that shit was enough. She was done.

But one thing made her curious. Candice had never seen anyone else in the world with blue hair. She'd been to a lot of places, and she'd never seen anyone with hair like hers before. Her father had bushy bright white hair that came with his age, though his mustache didn't match, so it was hard to know what his natural color was. Come to think of it, while she was raised in Poft, she had no idea where she was born. Just more questions to ask her father when she finally got to tracking him down.

Well, more like _if_. There was a great possibility that the man was all ready dead, knowing how bad the Empire's attacks had been, and knowing that he wasn't the kind of guy who liked to sit still for any reason…


	23. Ch 3, part 4

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 4

Firion ran ahead of Minwu and Clarisse once they came around the biggest part of the Semitt mountain range. The large lake was shimmering under the sun. From there, he could see the lake surrounded by more mountains, except for where the waterfall passed through and became the start of the river which wound its way around the continent. He smiled.

"I sure wish we could go for a swim," Firion said once the others had caught up to him. "The lake looks perfect."

"Did you forget what we're here for?" Clarisse asked him, frustrated. "Seriously, Firi…"

"I haven't forgotten anything," Firion said, watching them both pass him. "It's just that if we're forced to explore the world and take the scenic route every time, why not actually take a look at the world around us, you know?" He bent down to take a drink of the water. "We've been walking since we left Salamand. Take a few minutes to rest your feet, or you won't have the energy to keep going when you need it the most."

"That is a great way of looking at it," Minwu agreed quietly. "We will rest for a few minutes before pressing onward." He sat down next to Firion and started untying the straps on his sandals, which went all the way up his knees. "These are not made for gallivanting the countryside."

"Those sandals…" Clarisse said. "I've never seen anything like them."

Minwu nodded. "There's not a lot of Mysidian culture that leaves its borders. I'm not surprised to hear that you've never seen anything like a pair of Hermes Sandals before."

"Hermes Sandals?" Firion asked.

"They are made to amplify one's speed," Minwu explained as he pulled up his robes to stick his feet into the water. "But one's defensive capabilities and footing will suffer. As you can tell, they are not as durable as a pair of battle boots you would find in other communities, such as what Firion is wearing on his feet." He pointed to the straps on the sides. "They will break easily."

"That's because of the material they're made of," Firion said. "Look at that light leather. They'll snap if there's too much weight in them."

"But it is that leather which gives us mages the speed we need. If an enemy comes at us head on, we are not built to be able to take many blows. A few ax swings, and we will be in much worse shape than if someone in full plate armor would be in the same situation," Minwu said. His feet were swollen, and putting them in the water felt great. He needed to do this more often, but with all the traveling and the planning he'd been doing over the course of the adventure, he barely stopped to think of himself. "So instead of trying to hold up such armor with our feeble strength, we depend on our speed to dodge incoming blows."

"Are you saying you are not very strong?" Clarisse asked. "But Minwu, you've been so much more capable in battle than we have…"

"I know my assets and my faults," Minwu said, taking in a deep breath. "The key to victory in any situation is to know yourself. If you know what you're capable of doing, you can act quickly and without hesitation. I suggest you figure out your faults, too. You will also become much more capable in battle as you learn more about your body and your mind."

Clarisse nodded, looking up into the sky.

_I can definitely see why Minwu was such a great teacher to you now, Canti… _she thought. _He knows so much, and he's always willing to explain everything. He is a perfect teacher. Now I'm kinda a little bit jealous that I didn't get to have the same lessons… I'm sure everything he's told me during this journey, he told you when you were still a child._

"You have that look in your eyes," Minwu said softly. "You're thinking about Cantirena."

"What? How do you know that?" she asked.

"Because the only person who ever makes you have that sort of expression is Cantirena," Minwu answered it very bluntly. "You see, Clarisse? Even I know you better than you do at times. You really must learn more about yourself so that someone doesn't take advantage of your emotional display."

She cocked her head to the side. "Are you talking about the Emperor?"

"I am indeed," he said. "Because he has a trump card that knows you… and knows me…"

"You're not saying that… that he would…" she couldn't even say it. "That… that she would…"

_Canti, reveal our secrets?_ She thought angrily. _There's no way, not in a million years, that the Emperor could ever get her to tell any of our secrets, Minwu! There's no way!_

"There's no telling what the Empire has put her through. There's no telling what they could have made her say or do," Minwu said, pulling his feet out of the water. He was very solemn as he strapped his sandals back on. "I have absolutely no way of knowing if they are privy to anything about Fynn's history or anything related to Mysidia… I taught her much of the history of both nations. Dangerous secrets in the hands of the Empire."

"And you think… they might have…?" Clarisse started to hear up while just thinking about it. After taking a drink of the water from the lake, she stood up and said, "Let's keep going… because if we don't, I'm not going to be able to get back up."

Firion stood up next to her. "It doesn't matter what they've put her through, Minwu. We're going to save her and bring her home regardless of anything the Empire has done. Isn't that right? Isn't that why you're on this journey at all?"

"…it is," Minwu answered. Once his sandals were strapped on properly, he stood up, too. "All right. That cave is the mythril mine. We should go."

Together, the three of them made their way to the cave. Inside, there was a very cold wind. It seemed very strange, for there to be a wind coming from inside the cave. But that was all right. A minor detail. As they made their way through, monsters tried to stop them. They weren't anything beyond the group's collective abilities, but there sure was a lot of them.

Minwu didn't stay concentrated on the battles. He casted spells for barriers and healing as it was needed, but his body was on autopilot the entire time. The only thing he was thinking about was… a song…

"_Cantirena… where are you, my child? Where have you run off to?"_

"_I'm… down here…"_

"_What are you doing under the table? You look absolutely terrified."_

"_I… I'm sorry, teacher… I fell asleep when it started raining and… now it's storming so bad I don't think I'll be able to make it back home…"_

"_That is no reason to be under the table. Are you afraid that I would punish you?"_

"…_no..."_

"_Then what exactly are you afraid of?"_

"_Sleeping…"_

"_Sleeping? But you were napping at your desk."_

"_I have a very hard time… going to sleep… I didn't even mean to fall asleep at my desk, but… I don't sleep very well at night and the rain was soothing…" _

"_Come here. I can imagine that you feel asleep while studying because you didn't sleep well the night before. Well, that is a thing of the past. I know of something that will help you."_

"_What do you mean?"_

"_When children in my home have a hard time sleeping, we sing them a special song to ease their mind and soothe their stress."_

"_Is it magic?"_

"_No. I think… here it is called a lullaby."_

"_Ohh, I know what that is. My mama sings one to me almost every night! But it doesn't always work. Sometimes after she's done, I lay there and try to force myself to sleep, but it never happens… and when It does… often, I wake up scared. I've woken up others, screaming in fear…"_

"_My child, I want you to listen to this and remember it. Whenever you have your sleeping problems at home, try to sing it yourself. Maybe this will help relieve you."_

Minwu blinked, and before he knew it, they were standing right before a wooden door. Why was there a door in this cave? Firion was trying to beat it down with just pure strength, and he was getting further than anyone else at it. Clarisse then shoved him out of the way and picked the lock with one of her hairpins, and then proceeded to sit and make fun of Firion for being a good-for-nothing adopted brother, like she always did.

"Minwu?" Clarisse asked. "You're spacing out again."

"And this time, you were humming to yourself," Firion added.

"I... I did fight alongside you, yes?" Minwu asked.

"Yeah, you helped in battle like you always do, but you didn't say anything the entire time," Firion said. "Well whatever. We're all ready here. I haven't found a scrap of mythril or a single person in this cavern yet, so I bet they're right in here!"

As soon as they walked through the door, they were greeted by a very young girl with big blonde pigtails. She stood there like she'd been waiting for a very long time for that door to open. She was wearing the cutest pink dress and had big, clear bright blue eyes. She was the epitome of cute.

"Daddy!" she cried. "Oh wait. You're not Daddy."

Clarisse smiled at the little girl. "You must be Nelly."

"That's right," she replied. "Is my daddy with you?"

"No, but he is back in town," Clarisse said. "We'll take you home." She picked the girl up and put her on her shoulders. "How's that, huh?"

"Hey, Nelly," Firion said after looking around. "Where's everyone else? Weren't there a whole bunch of men taken with you?"

"A man in a big poofy hat came and took them away!" Nelly shouted. "He was a servant of that big horned meanie in the golden armor!"

Minwu looked at the girl. "A man with an ego bigger than his belt size, if I'm not mistaken."

"You're right! He had a long pimply nose and ugly facial hair. And his laugh was really, really scary!" Nelly added loudly.

"That… sounds an awful lot like Borghen," Firion thought aloud.

"So it does," Clarisse agreed sadly.

Minwu looked around the room before anyone was ready to go, finding a huge chunk of mythril ore off in one of the corners. He instantly opened the item pouch and shoved it in there. How he was more than ready to return with it so he could move on with his quest! He kept hearing the song he played for Cantirena that night over and over in his head, as if his mind was trying to soothe his inner self.

Nelly waved her arms. "Let's go home, let's go home!"

Minwu nodded. "Oh yes, let's get out of here. All of you, grab onto me." When Firion and Clarisse both had a hold of Minwu's shoulders, he lifted his staff and teleported them out of the cave, back onto the grassy plains outside of Semitt Falls.

"And from here, it's just a day's walk to Salamand again…" Firion said very happily. "I think you'll like being out in the sun again, Nelly."

"I all ready do!" Nelly clapped.

Minwu couldn't help but remember when Cantirena was that age, watching the little girl. He figured out that Clarisse was right in pointing out that he was humming the song to himself. He wasn't paying much attention to the conversation like he normally did.

His heart ached.


	24. Ch 3, part 5

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 5

The Dreadnaught Warship was ready to go. Cantirena and Mateus were both standing on the deck, dressed from head to toe in Palamecian Royal Attire. The both looked very much like they were going on a honeymoon, at least, that's what Candice thought of it as she watched from where she and Paul were hiding.

"Your Grace," a guard called out. "We're ready to launch!"

"Excellent," the Emperor said. "Come, my dear. Let us get a better view from the cockpit, shall we?" He took her arm, and she didn't say anything to him. She just went along with him. "We shall survey the land that belongs to the two of us alone."

"Was there a wedding?" Candice asked in a hushed whisper. "They look like they just got married."

Paul didn't know. He wasn't there. But he was determined to find out!

When the coast was clear, he snuck through one of the doors. Candice was right on his tail. They skipped from one hiding place to the next, trailing after the Emperor and his lady, until they came to the cockpit. The ship was indeed huge. They hadn't arrived there until after the ship was all ready in the air. It must have been a forty minute walk up through the floors until reaching the room where all the controls were. Paul smiled at that. When they left, maybe he could figure out a way to bust this thing up before it made any town a target.

"Riding on the warship my beloved built just for me," Mateus said. "It is a source of pride."

"Thank you, Your Grace," Cantirena said, looking at him. "Making you happy is why I'm alive."

He nodded gently, pulling her closer. "I'm glad you understand," he whispered in her ear. "Now, tell me. Where would you like to go? Anywhere in the world! Pick a place and I will take you there!" He pulled some of the bangs from her face so he could see her eyes better. "Our luxury ship can take us anywhere. So pick a place."

Cantirena frowned. "Oh, Your Grace, I couldn't make a decision like that… what if I pick a place you don't like? Then you'll be cross with me."

"That's impossible," Mateus said. "I hate every place equally. That is why I ask you to make the decision. Clearly, there must be one place you wish to revisit."

Cantirena thought about it. Her head ached, and it showed. She flinched a few times trying to think about places she'd been to make a decision, and it wasn't happening. "To be clear, Your Grace… I don't remember any place other than Palamecia."

Paul was confused. _How the __**hell**__… _he thought angrily. _You were raised in Fynn! _

Mateus grinned at hearing that. "You remember nothing else?"

"What else is there to remember?" Cantirena asked. "There is you and your glorious Empire. That is all I need."

Paul had a very hard time keeping his anger in check. _Evil magic…! She's under some sort of spell?! Your teacher is Minwu! Your sister is Clarisse and… and… god damn it all to hell, you are not supposed to be married to that tyrannical mass murderer!_

Candice pulled on his belt to keep him from jumping out there and blowing their cover.

_If Minwu wasn't pissed before, this will definitely do it,_ Paul thought. _We need to get back to Altair… we need to get __**you**__ back, Canti… Minwu's going to be the only person who can save you..._

Mateus looked about the cockpit. All he could see was his own Dark Knights and the lady who held his arm, but something felt different. It was like he could sense strangers in his presence. "I do not appreciate those who lurk in the shadows around me," he said very loudly. "Come out."

Paul pushed Candice back and stepped out where all could see him. "I'm right here," he said, announcing his presence.

"A stowaway, on my warship?" Mateus asked. "You must be quite talented."

"Well, I am the best thief in the world," Paul said, grinning. "Cracking your security was as easy as avoiding the gaze of your dark knights and sneaking in the shadows."

"You sound so _proud_ of yourself," Mateus said. "Well. I suppose if you're good enough to sneak on board my ship, I'll have to accommodate you and your friend."

"Friend?" Paul asked. "I'm sorry, I work alone. I don't have any friends with me."

"There is someone behind you. Come out of the shadows. I will not harm you," Mateus said.

Candice came out and stood next to Paul. There, she saw the man she hated face to face for the second time. "Damn you," she muttered.

"Well, well, well," Mateus said, clapping his hands. "If there was one young lady I never thought I'd see again, it would be you." He looked at Cantirena. "This lovely lady is one of my slaves who worked tirelessly to feed the men who now work aboard this ship. I claimed her from the wreckage of an airship which crashed in my territory, you see-"

"And then you stole the technology my father invented to create this massive warship!" Candice screamed. "If anything else, this ship should belong to my father."

"Such an attitude," Mateus said. "I'm not raising my voice at you, now am I?"

"I have every right to-"

Paul slapped his hand over her mouth to make her shut up. "Forgive the lady. She's been stewing in her hate for quite a long time." He then said, "Look, I know you're going to kill us. So I want to ask you one simple question."

"I am not going to _kill_ you," Mateus said.

"I have no proof of that," Paul said. "So grant me my one question."

"Fair enough. Ask your question."

Paul looked directly at Cantirena. "My lady, is your name Cantirena? Are you, or are you not, royal mage Minwu's student?"

Mateus glared at Paul. "You wanted to ask me a question, _not_ my lady. I did _not_ grant you a question to my beloved," he said angrily. "Take these two to a private room. Get them out of my sight!"

"At least grant me that answer before you cart me to my death!" Paul screamed as three armored knights came to grab him all at once. "Cantirena, please, if you know who you really are and you remember anything about your youth in Fynn, you have to get out of here! Minwu is on a quest looking for you! He's… he's abandoned his role as the primary caretaker of the Princess for _you_…"

Cantirena's head hurt much worse than it had when she was taking a bath or when she was trying to remember places she'd been. Hearing that name made everything hurt. She leaned against Mateus, as she had a hard time standing. Her eyes watered, and she wasn't even sure why.

"You have _upset_ my lady," Mateus said. His rage was apparent now. "Get them both out of my sight!" Then he put a hand on Cantirena's head. "Everything will be fine. He will not hurt you again with his nasty words."

"It… all hurts," she said, whimpering. "Hearing those words… make me hurt."

"A terrible spell, he was casting on you. He wanted to make you _betray_ me," Mateus said sadly. "There are many kinds of people in this world, dear, and they are all there to tempt you into drawing you away from me. They want you and your powers all to themselves." He smiled slightly. "But we're not going to let them take your powers for their dark purposes, now are _we_?"

"No, Your Grace," Cantirena said. "My powers are here to serve _you_."

"Excellent. That's what I wanted to hear," Mateus said. "So. Have we decided on a place to visit yet?"

Cantirena pondered it for a moment before she said, "Your Grace, why don't we fly around and take a look at every place? If we see a place we like, we'll visit. If we don't, then there's no love lost."

"Fine. We'll set course for the closest town, which I believe is… hmmm… we'll make for Altair, how does that sound?"

"I've never been there," Cantirena said, "Sounds like an adventure."

"_Perfect_."

Meanwhile, Paul and Candice were being dragged along the mythril floors, headed towards the bottom of the ship. Candice wanted to scream at him and tell him that she told him so, but she was certain it would cause more trouble with the guards than needed. They were brought to the very bowels of the ship itself and both placed in a cell together. After they were locked in, Candice sat on the floor in the corner furthest from where Paul was.

"I'm sorry I dragged you back into the Empire's grasp," Paul said quietly.

"Well, if nothing else, now I'm not being forced to grow their damn food," Candice said, rolling her eyes. "So I suppose this is slightly better."

"So… you've met the Emperor before, then," Paul said, sitting down where he was.

"I'll never forget his laugh… the day I told him he couldn't have the ruins of the Hilda Guard. It was one of those 'I own you and everything else' kind of laughs. My words meant so little to him that the fact I spoke to him was funny," Candice said.

"That means… you're Cid's daughter," Paul finally put two and two together. "That's why you know how to fly an airship.

She pounded her fist on the wall. "I hate the Emperor. I hate him and all of his stupid knights and I hate his fucking warship and I hate that dumb broad who hung off of him like his own personal whore!"

"Don't hate her," Paul whispered. "There's no way in hell she's doing this willingly."


	25. Ch 3, part 6

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 6

Taking Nelly home was the most rewarding thing Firion and Clarisse had done since they set out on their journey. Finding the mythril boosted their confidence, but ultimately, seeing that little girl run into her father's arms after being apart for so long was so satisfying, it made them feel like saving the world was a great thing to do. They ended up spending an hour or two with the happy family, but Minwu knew it was not wise to wait too long. Instead, they headed to Poft again on foot. What they found was a town which was mostly empty, save for the man who ran the airship, Cid, and his first mate.

"I don't know what you're doing here," Cid said immediately after seeing the three adventurers come into the pub looking more than confused. "But you might want to leave."

"Leave? Where did everybody go?" Clarisse asked.

Cid answered with a question. "You haven't heard? The Emperor's got himself a new warship, and now… it's going on a world tour, shall we say." He knocked off the ashes from the end of his cigarette, closing his eyes. "I suppose you three would like a ride back to Altair. There aren't any ships coming near the mainland now."

"Well it would be faster than walking though the mountains," Firion said. "Sure, we'll take your offer."

"Fancy that," Cid said. "All right, five hundred gil each of you." He stood up straight and pulled on his vest. "But I should warn you. Altair was hit first. The ship flew over the town, and a rain of dark lightning or something fell from over the side of the ship. It was unlike anything ever seen before. I'm not a magically inclined man. I know about black and white magic, but this was something completely different. Something… well, it wasn't _natural_. This magic was _evil_." He looked directly at Minwu. "What say you, mage? Have you ever heard of anything like that before?"

Minwu took in a deep breath. "Evil magic," he repeated after Cid's suggestion, thinking it all over very slowly. He must have stood there for five minutes before saying anything else. "This reminds me of a textbook I once read back in Mysidia, but I have not read it since I was a child. I would have to research this before drawing any sort of conclusion. I have _heard_ of magic with a purely evil source, but I do not know much about it."

"Does this mean you… saw it happen?" Clarisse sounded very scared as she asked her question.

"Yeah, I did," Cid said, crossing his arms. "I saw it myself. A bolt of it hit my ship and took most of my crew out in a single blast. I'm lucky the girl can still fly."

"Wait a minute," Firion said, "We left Gordon here in Poft!"

"Oh shit, you're right," Clarisse said, face-palming at the fact that they'd not even thought about looking for him. "Oh my Cosmos… where could he have gone? We needed him to talk to…"

"You needed him to talk to me, right?" Cid asked. "You're talking about a small-ish sort of young man with long whispy blonde hair, I believe. Prince of Kashuon, yes?"

"That's right," Minwu said quietly. "I assume he found you."

"He did, and he had me carry him back home once I told him what he wanted to know," Cid said. "So did you still want to go to Altair?"

"Maybe the fact that the attack was going on made him feel unsafe. The Prince is not one to stay in a place where he feels threatened," Minwu thought aloud. "All right, let's go back to Fynn and report to Princess Hilda about what we know. She'll be glad we have the mythril."

Cid did as he was requested, but he didn't look anywhere near as confident as he did when he flew with Gordon before. His eyes were always scanning the clouds, even though he knew that if he ran into the Dreadnaught again, it would surely be his last time. The trip to Altair was very quick and simple. He landed right outside the wall of town, damn near kicked them off of the deck, and then flew off as quickly as he had arrived.

"That man," Minwu said, very quietly. "His spirit is broken."

When they came into town, suddenly, everyone else's felt just as broken. Buildings had huge holes blown out of them, everything from bricks to shingles lay scattered about the brick roads which covered all of Altair's pathways. Some of the grass was still on fire, while other patches were nothing but ashes. The worst part, however, was the fact that bodies were everywhere, broken up into several pieces. Blood splatters covered not just the ground, but some of the walls, too. It was the worst display for abject hatred of human life that any of them had ever seen. Even Fynn didn't look this bad after the first attack.

Minwu couldn't hold his worry in any more. He darted for the rebel base, where there were small groups huddled inside, still scared out of their minds.

"Lord Minwu!" a little boy cried. "Lord Minwu, you've returned!"

"I have," he said, nodding. "Where is the Princess?"

"Princess Hilda is with her father," another villager said. "You must help us, Lord Minwu! Everyone… everyone is dead! Everyone that was outside when the Dreadnaught attacked is dead!"

Minwu sighed sadly. They were not going to want to hear the truth of it. White magic could only heal so many wounds, and he could not reverse that of true death with is power. He believed that since it was every human's destiny to someday die, that it was wrong to intervene in what happens between another body and that of the Goddess herself. Bringing back the dead was never the right answer, and it always had complications this world should never have to see. "I will speak with the Princess," he said calmly, walking past them all.

Firion and Clarisse followed Minwu deeper into the rebel base, where they found King Gilbert in bed, and Hilda sitting next to him, crying her eyes out. When Hilda looked up to see them, she wasn't sure if she was supposed to scream at them in anger or cry harder.

"Your Highness," Minwu said, bowing before her. "We have the mythril."

"One day too late," Hilda said hopelessly through her tears. "Minwu, I… I have no idea what to do anymore…"

Firion said, "I've got an idea, if you're willing to hear it."

"I am willing to hear any plan, as long as it doesn't suggest giving up and surrendering," Hilda answered, looking over at the youth who seemed to have grown a lot since the last time she saw him. "Tell me of your plan, young Firion."

"There's no way to challenge that thing while it's in the air," Firion started. He was trying to sort out all the thoughts he had in his head. There was so much to try to put into words which sounded like an actual plan. "So, umm, why don't we wait until it lands then sneak aboard and then go in to cause a ruckus?"

"That sounds all right," Hilda said. "How would you do it?"

Firion tried to think even harder. "We're not Imperials, so sneaking aboard would probably be harder than it sounds. Maybe if we go to the place where it was built… we can learn something about the interior, find a map or a blueprint to give us a better idea as to how to enter it. The people might know, they probably had to work on the damn thing."

Minwu then spoke up. "I remember hearing that airship engines have something to do with Sunfire, though I am not a mechanic, I'm not sure exactly how this is," he said quietly. "Princess, have you seen Prince Gordon? We were told he headed home after gathering the information he needed."

"No," Hilda said. "Gordon hasn't been in town since you were last here."

"Holy shit," Clarisse breathed out. "…Pardon my language, Princess. Maybe Cid meant that Gordon went back to _his _home, not _this _one! The Sunfire is kept in Kashuon Keep. I bet he went to go get it!"

Hilda shook her head. "Kashuon Keep isn't much more than a pile of ruins now, most likely full of all sorts of monsters with no one there to keep them out… Damn it, Gordon… I don't have a single man to spare right now. There's no way I could go look for him myself, either. I don't have any combat experience… oh Minwu, what are we doing to do?!"

Minwu tried to keep his calm, though it was very hard. "My suggestion is that after we upgrade our weapons with Master Tobul, we split up into two teams. One group looks for Gordon at Kashuon. The other will go to the town where the airship was constructed, that being Bafsk, and search the town for clues about how to defeat the Dreadnaught from inside."

King Gilbert was having a very hard time breathing. He watched the group talk amongst themselves about this war without even mentioning him once, and he was very annoyed with it. "Minwu…" he called out, his volume barely even audible. "Minwu, you… do not know the secret of Kashuon…"

"Your Majesty, please, lie down and rest," Minwu said, walking closer to the king. He used his magic to try to soothe Gilbert's wounds, but to no avail. The man was injured more emotionally than physically, and that made it very hard to heal him with magic. The spirit of one could not heal the broken spirit of another.

"Kashuon Keep… is locked to… outsiders," the King whispered. "The only way inside… for someone who is not of the bloodline… is to… find the Goddess Bell."

"What's the Goddess Bell?" Firion asked.

"It is a key to Kashuon Keep… that was created a thousand years ago… to prevent anyone other than an heir of Kashuon from entering and possibly cheating at the trial… for Egil's Torch," Gilbert explained. He coughed loudly. "If… Gordon is inside all ready… he is trapped until he completes the trial… you will not be able to aid him without... without that bell."

"Where is it?" Clarisse asked. "I will go get that bell! I won't stand to have another friend die at the hands of the Empire!"

"The Goddess Bell is kept within the snowfields," Hilda said. "I heard stories from Scott about it. Apparently, no other bell can make that sound. If you're going up north, be sure to speak to Josef about it. He knows more about the icy north than anyone."

"Then it's settled," Minwu said. "Firion, Clarisse, I want you to head to Salamand again and speak to Josef about the Goddess Bell. I will go to Bafsk and look for clues about how to defeat the Dreadnaught. We will meet up to look for Gordon together in a central location... perhaps Poft would be best."

"Yes," Clarisse agreed with the plan. "But first, my sword needs tempering with Master Tobul."


	26. Ch 3, part 7

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 7

Minwu wasted no time at all getting ready to leave Altair once again on his own. It had been a very long time since he had any time to think by himself, but it didn't bother him. He was more than used to being alone. He ended up giving the item pouch to Firion and Clarisse, as he felt they would need to carry more than he did. Crossing the water to Paloom took minimal effort for the mage. He walked along the shore of the lake around it instead of crossing it, even if it took extra time. The wind was on his side. It felt great to walk and see the land. A few monsters popped up here and there, but it was nothing he couldn't handle on his own.

By time he reached Paloom, he found it in the same state as Altair. Anyone who was outside during the attack the Dreadnaught made was now turned into splattered bloody mess on the stone pathways.

"My Goddess," he said, thinking a line of cursings that he dared not mutter aloud. "What will make them stop?"

"Minwu?" a voice called from a nearby building. "Is that you?"

"Cid?" Minwu asked, going closer to the building. "What are you doing in Paloom?"

"I could ask the same of you. Shouldn't you be looking after the Princess?" Cid asked him in return. "But as for why I'm here in Paloom, well, my first mate's wife was having a baby and there was no way in _hell_ I would ever let him miss out on that. I went inside, 'cause I got kinda nostalgic, and I was startin' to tear up. I didn't want to embarrass the man while he was takin' care of his family matters. But before anyone knew what happened…" Cid looked down at the ground. "When they were out showing the whole town the newborn baby girl…" he wiped his eyes. "_Fuck_ that Emperor… they were just startin' their lives, y'know? That baby didn't deserve to die only hours after she'd been born!" He was so angry he punched the wooden doorway he was standing in and it broke under his strength.

"It wouldn't be the first daughter he's stolen," Minwu replied softly, putting his hand on Cid's shoulder. "I need a ride to Bafsk. I can pay you 2000 gil. Are you up to it?"

"For 2000 gil, I will take you on a trip to the moon and back," Cid answered, putting his goggles on. "I've never gotten that much on any fare."

"I thought you'd find that inviting," Minwu said, putting his coin purse into Cid's hand. "I have no use for it. If it can help you out, as you've been helping others, then it is better in your hands."

"Well, then. When I take ya there, you want me to wait for ya, then?" Cid asked. "I'll do it."

"If you can, I would appreciate that very much," Minwu said as Cid led him to where his airship was docked.

The flight only took about twenty minutes, and Cid was wearier than he ever had been. Two attacks by the Dreadnaught he was there personally to witness. Was he being stalked by that flying mountain? That could not have been any mere coincidence.

"Be careful," Cid called as he waved to Minwu. "I will keep my eyes on the sky. If I see anything, I'll give you a signal. This here baby's got a loud horn on it. You hear it, you come runnin', all right?"

"Thank you kindly," Minwu said. "I will return shortly."

The large mountains only made the village of Bafsk look even smaller than it was. Minwu left Cid's airship, taking with him his trusty jewel-tipped staff. Entering the town walls, the entire place smelled incredibly putrid. It didn't take him long to discover just why. The buildings were all erect, but the grass was stained red. A few yards away from the center of town was a pile of bodies – men, women, and children – all stacked on top of one another, like a monument to death. Swords, spears, axes, and arrows stuck out of all parts of the pile. This didn't happen recently. The smell was too strong.

_Could this be… where all of the men from Salamand were brought? _Minwu thought in horror. _Did Borghen bring them here…?!_

Minwu couldn't stand the stench for much longer. He went into nearby buildings, finding all of them empty. The pub had mugs of flat beer still sitting on the table. Some beds weren't made, meaning that this may have happened at night or first thing in the morning. Rotten meals sat on tables, attracting all sorts of bugs.

Even though he felt sick from being there for so long, he checked the building he hadn't been in yet, which was the village in. Every room, empty, except one, which still faintly smelled of whisky and candle wax. It struck Minwu was very odd. Coming up to the table, he found a notebook, a quill, an ink pot, and a bottle of Deist Whisky.

_Borghen's favorite alcohol,_ Minwu thought angrily._ Why does this not surprise me in the least?_

Without a second thought, he picked up the book and started flipping through the pages. What he found hit him like a ton of bricks.

_Dear Mother and Father:_

_"Oh… no…" Minwu knew that handwriting better than any other. He had a hard time reading the rest of the letter, as his eyes burned with tears. "You __were__ here… if only I had thought to come here __sooner__…"_

_Minwu flipped through the rest of the pages once he read the entire letter, and somewhere near the back was a crude drawing of the Dreadnaught. The identification markings weren't in Cantirena's handwriting. It looked more like Borghen's, once he thought about it. He'd seen Borghen's handwriting on documents before, though not as often as Hilda's, Cid's, or even King Gilbert's. He had no other conclusions to draw upon. Both Borghen and Cantirena had been in this very room, though he couldn't tell what they were doing or what were the circumstances of the situation._

_The bed was a total mess, but a few dark blue curly hairs lying near the pillow at the head of the bed gave it away. Cantirena had slept in here. It was impossible to tell for how long, but this was her room for at least one night. She had time to write a letter, and she was on that bed in the room._

_After seeing that, he concluded the visit was well worth it. He picked up the book and quill, placing it inside a pocket which was on the inside of his robe. Then he looked around for something, anything else._

_On the floor lay a piece of paper with a ribbon on it. He picked it up, opening it._

_On behalf of the Emperor of Palamecia, the bearer of this seal is cleared of all suspicion and is allowed any and all access to Palamecian territory._

_"This…" Minwu said, placing it in his pocket. "This is __**exactly**__ what we needed. If the Dreadnaught Warship was built here, I'll bet my entire magic scroll collection that Cantirena is on the Dreadnaught right now!" _

_Just a little longer, my student. Just a little longer, and you will be home. Please… please be patient with your teacher… Forgive me for not finding you sooner…_

_…_

_At that exact moment, Cantirena was indeed on the Dreadnaught. She had been enjoying her ride thus far, standing with Emperor Mateus on the deck of the ship, feeling the wind blow her hair and her gown along with it. _

_Mateus had also been enjoying the trip. Cantirena, when given the order, was able to produce a black lightning spell unlike any he'd ever seen before. It was quite unusual, even for a man who'd been trying to grasp the spells of darkness since he accepted the pact with the Demon King Iluia. After casting the spells, however, it seems like she went back to being her smiley, happy self. It seemed as if Cantirena didn't even remember the maniacal laughter or the spells she cast on the towns they flew over, killing hundreds of innocents on the ground from above. She had become a magical weapon at his command due to the influence of the dark powers of the stone she slept under for so long, and this was most pleasing. Finally, a woman worth keeping around!_

_"You worked so hard to build it, and now you're riding on it," Mateus said, pulling her closer. "You must feel proud of yourself for all you've accomplished."_

_"Accomplished, Your Grace?" Cantirena asked, watching the propellers spin around and around and around. "I could not take all the glory for something this magnificent. In fact, I couldn't take any of it. I mean, the ship does belong to you. Wouldn't it be your glory?"_

_"And modest, too," Mateus said, slowly wrapping his arms around her belly from behind. "Unfortunately, it can only last so long. You see, we have a very big problem which might actually be able to stop us from completing our goals of conquering the world."_

_"Oh dear," Cantirena said quietly._

_"I know. It is very sad, my love. The problem is a rebellion, led by Princess Hilda of Fynn," he explained carefully. He noticed her flinching upon hearing upon hearing the place where she grew up. "Now, I know those would-be villains would come to destroy this ship if they had a chance of doing so."_

_"Why don't we destroy them before they have the chance, Your Grace?"_

_Mateus nodded. "Oh how I would love to, my dearest princess… but I have no idea where they have their base. It's not in a castle anywhere, and we've hit most every town in the world once. I'm sure the rebellion yet lives. I think we're going to need them to lead us to their base and destroy it from the inside."_

_"How would we do that, Your Grace? I don't think they're going to have a tea party and just invite us into their base," Cantirena said. Her eyes didn't stop watching the propellers._

_"Actually…" Mateus said, "…they might." He kissed her cheek ever so softly. "Whatever happens, I will come back for you. I need you for my army, and the Demon King would be more than furious if I were to allow you to be with anyone else. Your home is with me, in my palace. The heirs of mine that you carry bind me directly to you."_

_"Are you going to let them… capture me?" Cantirena asked. "Your Grace, who knows what they would make me do for them? This idea is terrifying!"_

_"I'm quite sure no one there would hurt you," Mateus said. His voice was gentle and soothing as his breath landed right on her ear. "…Because they want your powers to serve their evil purposes. Your memories may become muddled while there, and you may even be confused by what happens there… but I want you to know that no matter what __anyone__ tells you, I will come back for you. You belong to me and me alone."_

"So… I'm the bait…"

"If you were to be blunt, then yes."

"If you promise me, Your Grace… if you promise me that you will not leave me there… you mustn't."

"I promise you," Mateus said, kissing her again. "I promise you that I will not leave you in the middle of their rabble longer than I must. I swear it on the grave of my father, and in front of all of the world below us."

_And when I find you again… I will kill everyone else you love, so that there is no chance of this spell ever breaking, _Mateus thought. _So that I'll no longer have to worry about your breaking free of the binding between us, but the rebels will disappear from this world!_


	27. Ch 3, part 8

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 8

Master Tobul had never been a happier man. Finally with his hands on some mythril, he was ready to give a boost to not just the warriors who helped him out, but to the whole Wild Rose Rebellion. He and his granddaughter Krystal were pounding away at the table for hours on end. By the time they were finished, Minwu left Altair on his own, but Firion and Clarisse were still sleeping at the inn, trying to recover the strength they had spent on their last mission.

Clarisse's thin blade was given a full makeover at the hands of Tobul. He gave it a hilt adorned with a silver star, and sharpened the blade until it was just like a needle on a handle. It had become a royal rapier, one he named the "Estoc". He felt he never made a more beautiful, feminine sword, and it was more than worthy of giving to the lady who took part in getting the legendary mineral for him. Firion's broadsword was also given a much more sharpened blade and glistened in the candlelight. The design had come from just being a bound handle to something extraordinary with a very elaborately decorated handle with a rose vine that wound around the hilt up to the part where the blade connected with it. This mythril sword he felt looked more like it fit the hands of a prince and not that of a rebel. He named the sword the "Wild Vine".

"Krystal!" Tobul called out to his granddaughter, who was starting to fall asleep at the worktable. "I want you to go and retrieve Firion and Clarisse. Their weapons are ready."

"Okay, Grandpa," the cheerful young girl replied, running out of the shop as fast as she could. She was happy to see her friends had come back from that mission in one piece after the Dreadnaught had been attacking every place she'd ever heard of. Krystal was even more surprised to see how strong they'd become over the course of their journey. Then it hit her that Firion and Clarisse were given yet another task to complete, and after they received their new weapons, they were going to be heading out yet again.

Krystal didn't have far to run. The inn was only minutes away from her Grandpa's workshop. She passed the fountain of Altair, noticing that even after the attack, it still stood upright. She found that to be amazing. Other buildings had chunks missing and others were covered in bloodstains. The fountain was intact. It gave her hope that this war would come to an end because those fighting against it were so brave. Brave enough to stand up against any sort of attack that could possibly be thrown at them.

Krystal came to the inn and went to the first room right after the clerk's desk. The innkeeper didn't even care, as she had a pretty good idea of what was going on.

"Firion!" Krystal said loudly. "Clarisse! This is an important message from Tobul's Smithy! Your orders are complete, so please come pick them up!"

Firion sat up. "You didn't have to come give us all that, did you?"

"That's the way I was trained to deliver shop messages," Krystal said gently. Even though she hadn't been with the front line of the rebellion, Firion could tell that she had gotten stronger. Her arms looked like they had more muscle to them. She must really have been learning how to forge from her grandfather. "Grandpa wants to talk to you both right away, since he knows you'll be leaving on your new assignment very soon."

"Oh, excuse us then," Clarisse said as she sat up. "We're on our way right now."

Krystal smiled. "All right! Glad to hear it!" She dashed out the door of their room without even bothering to close it.

Clarisse climbed out of bed, stretching before putting her armor on. "I am so tired of having to wake up in beds that aren't mine," she said quietly. "This rebellion thing is way tougher than it sounds."

"Doesn't matter to me where I sleep," Firion said sheepishly. "The moment my feet are level with my head, I pass out faster than a chocobo on speed." He dressed himself before cracking his neck a few times. "Long as I do sleep, I don't care where it happens."

"Yeah, but… don't you miss having a home to return to?" Clarisse asked.

"Hmm," Firion said as he started out the door. "I don't think I do. All the moving I did when I was a little kid, when my parents were still alive. Then having to switch homes after they died? Then having the one home I loved destroyed by the Emperor's onslaught?" He stopped himself to think about it. "Maybe it's better not to have a home."

"What?"

"Then… no one can take it from you. Not the Gods or any man." Firion concluded, walking out of the room and giving the innkeeper some gil.

_I loved that little cottage more than any other place I've ever been. It was the place I lived in the longest, and… it felt like home. When I went inside, I knew it was peaceful. I knew the people inside loved me and wanted me… _Firion thought as he left the inn to stand outside by himself. He looked at the fountain, watching the water come out in a pattern. _Should have guessed that it would end at some point. After all that traveling… it's all I wanted, too._

Clarisse came out of the inn then whacked Firion on the back of his head, knocking his favorite bandanna right out of alignment. "Don't leave me behind, ya meanie."

"Hey, I just wanted a moment to think by myself," Firion said, hugging her in return. "I didn't mean to make you think I'd left you. I was waiting right here the entire time."

Together they returned to Tobul's shop, where Krystal was looking incredibly excited.

"Hiya!" Krystal said, "Guess what? They're done!"

"Yes, you told us that when we were at the inn," Firion said, laughing a little. "So, Master Tobul…?"

Tobul brought out the Estoc first and handed it to Clarisse. "That is the most feminine sword I've ever forged. I might even go so far to say it looks like it would make a great gift for a princess," he said very proudly. "I took the base of your last sword and strengthened it. The blade now has a silver gleam like that of pure mythril. The star there is enchanted to help you strike quicker."

"That was my work," Krystal said. "I'm thinking about learning how to make accessories which will be an inhibitor for one's natural abilities. Wouldn't that be great?" She walked up to Clarisse. "I hope you find the star useful."

"I'm sure I will, Krystal," Clarisse said, putting the blade on her belt. "Thank you for all your hard work."

"And for the main man of our operation, I present this," Tobul said, handing over his Wild Vine sword. "My son once forged a sword that is much like this one called the 'Wild Rose' as a gift for Prince Scott of Kashuon, though I've no idea what happened to it now. I wanted something to symbolize the rebellion, something to symbolize all that we've worked toward. Firion, take it."

Firion smiled as he took it into his own hands. It did not surge with magical power, but he was proud to take a sword that Tobul worked so hard to create just for him. "Wow, that… makes me feel incredibly special," he said, blushing. "You didn't have to make me anything this… this… this is really cool. Thank you, Master Tobul."

"Now, on to your next mission, m'boy!" Tobul said. "And milady, too, of course." He tapped them both on the shoulder. "And for me, well, I've got new armor to make for all of the other resistance members! C'mon Krystal, let's show these pussies what it's like to be one with the forge!"

"Aye, Grandpa!" Krystal gave a salute. "To a better world!"

Clarisse and Firion left the two of them to their work, giggling the entire time. The last time they saw Master Tobul, he was in such depression it was hard to even talk to the man. Now it seemed that both he and his granddaughter were right in their element. They found their place and were working with all their hearts. Together, they left the borders of Altair, determined to get back to Salamand as quickly as possible, despite all the monsters and the frequent attacks by the Dreadnaught. They, too, wanted to find that part of themselves that they'd always wanted. Their place in the world to devote all their efforts.

Perhaps saving the world from tyranny was that calling?


	28. Ch 3, part 9

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 9

Emperor Mateus believed, without a shadow of a doubt, that he was not just the most powerful man in the world, but he was also the smartest. No, he didn't believe it. He _knew_. He carried himself like the Emperor he was. Standing tall, with an air of shrewdness one would not find in many others. As he thought about everything that had transpired recently, he could only come to such a conclusion. The world was his, and everyone in it was meant to serve him and his desires. After all, considering how many things in this world ended with violence, well, there was no cure for that except a leader who could establish a reign which encompassed the world and all people. There could be only one supreme ruler, and it was him.

The Dreadnaught was made of metal. There was nothing organic about the structure or what it was made of. There weren't even potted plants to simulate a natural setting. It was all hard and cold. Not that Cantirena noticed at all. She was too busy watching the propellers spinning or feeling the surface of mythril steel which made the pipes that ran everywhere within the ship. She found the entire thing fascinating. It took Mateus a few moments realize that Cantirena did not remember building the ship. She studied everything about it, when he wasn't talking to her. Even though she didn't wander far from him, as the Dark Knights who passed by her gave her a bit of a fright, she still curiously looked at everything she came across. The pounded metal surface she was standing on was rather sharp and bumpy. Mateus knew why Minwu could teach her so much just by watching her. She was the type who loved to learn and explore.

"My love," Mateus said to her. "Exactly why are you sitting on the floor, running your hand on it repeatedly?" He kneeled down next to her. This wasn't behavior very fitting for the bride of the Emperor, and he found it strange.

"I'm sorry, Your Grace," she said. "I was tired of looking the propellers spinning so I thought I would look at the floor." She was sitting on her knees in a very dignified way. "I didn't want to leave your side, but I also didn't want to bother you. You looked satisfied standing there, lost in your thoughts. Far be it from me to interrupt your thoughts."

"You're not a bother," he said, pulling her back up to her feet. "But if you want to go somewhere else, it's all right."

"I don't know why I'm so tired," Cantirena said, leaning on him. "I've only been with you on the ship today. But wouldn't you know it, I feel very drained."

"Then you must rest," Mateus replied, leading her back inside the ship. "I wouldn't want you to fall short on any sort of energy or nourishment. You're carrying my firstborn heir. If there is something you need, you must tell me immediately. I will not have you so weak."

If Cantirena hadn't been walking, she could have fallen asleep right then. By the time he had her in the captain's quarters, her eyes were half open. The moment her head hit a pillow, she was curled up on that king-sized bed, asleep. Mateus put a blanket over her, then sat next to her on the other side of the bed.

_Give them a chance to destroy the Dreadnaught, and they will indeed take the invitation,_ Mateus thought. _And when they find this lovely caged bird, they will take her back with them…_ He grinned as he reached for one of the world maps he had lying on the nightstand. _When I find out where she is, I'll know where those rebels are hiding…_

"And after that… all will be set right," he said. "So where will we land? Where will we set up this delicious trap?" When he decided on a spot, he looked over at Cantirena. "You will probably hate me when I see you again. I'm well aware of that mage's powers."

_But another week under the Stone of Iluia's influence, and you will be who you are now once again…_

Cantirena looked completely comfortable, curled up where she was. She was at peace, sleeping the deepest sleep she'd had since finishing the Dreadnaught. The purple gem in the center of her forehead gave off a faint glow.

"Minwu…" she whispered.

Mateus glared down at her. What could she be dreaming, to where she could say a name which brought her pain when she was awake?! He was ready to destroy something, anything.

"When this is over, my princess, you will not remember your teacher," Mateus snarled angrily. "You love me and me _alone_." He got up immediately. "You belong to _me_. Do not forget this, even after you have your final reunion with your teacher." He left the captain's quarters and headed back up to the cockpit on his own, all the while, his thoughts turning darker and darker.

_How dare __**my**__ bride think of another in her dreams! _ He thought as he climbed up several flights of stairs. _I will have none of this. The wild weeds will be plucked from my Garden of Eden. I will have no more resistance._

When he reached the cockpit, he gave the order. The Dreadnaught was to land. He gave them some bullshit excuse as to why, told the soldiers inside to kill anyone who wasn't approved to enter the ship, and without telling anyone aboard, Mateus took one of the spare airships from inside the docking bay, he left it behind. All he had to do was wait. Though, without his new favorite toy, it would be a bit longer than even he wanted to wait. But the Emperor was a patient man to a certain degree.

…

Clarisse couldn't believe how much faster they were able to travel after having done it previously. It all came naturally now. Kill the monsters without a second thought, keep going forward, kill more monsters, keep going forward. It was easy-peasy. Firion was always able to keep one step ahead of her, as his strides were bigger than hers, but she didn't mind. They had each other no matter what came at them, and having one constant companion was not a bad thing!

Paloom was empty, though finding it in the same state as Altair wasn't a good feeling. When there was no one in town, not even a ship ferryman, they kept on going. The walk from Paloom to Salamand took about three whole days, and they only slept about four hours each night. By the end of that long walk, they were driven by sheer willpower alone.

When they entered the town's borders, they almost collapsed. Luckily for the pair, Josef and Nelly were outside playing in the snow when they got there.

"Look, Daddy," Nelly said. "It's Mr. Firion."

"So it is," Josef said, nodding. "Hey there, Firion. You all right, son? You don't look like you're doing so well."

"No time," Firion replied, shaking his head. "Big problems…"

Clarisse slumped over only for Josef to catch her in one arm. "Hey, now," he said. "C'mon, Nelly, let's get them rested up at home. It's the least we can do to thank ya for helping us out earlier."

"No," Firion said, much more fiercely. "The Dreadnaught has been on the attack since… since we helped Salamand… we need the Goddess Bell to help us get the Sunfire out of Kashuon Keep!"

"You won't be going to get anything without any rest," Josef insisted. By then, he was carrying them both into his house. Josef put them both in a bed and had Nelly started on tea to warm them up. "…Now, you need to get the Sunfire, why?"

"To destroy that damned flying hunk of scrap metal," Firion said angrily. "Let me out of here, Josef! We don't have much time. They could go back and attack Altair at any time and… and…"

"Lay the hell back down," Josef commanded loudly. "What you must not know yet is that the Dreadnaught has landed. They're rebuilding parts of it or something, I don't know. I received word from Princess Hilda myself. It's a perfect opportunity to blow that metal buzzard sky high." He sat down in a chair between the two beds. "To do blow it up, you say you need Kashuon's Sunfire, and to get that, you're gonna have to get inside Kashuon Keep itself, which is what the Goddess Bell is for." He nodded. "All right, kids, guess what? Josef's coming along to help you with this! It's the least I can do to help ya after ya saved my little Nelly."

Nelly came in with a tray, holding that same teapot and cups that Josef served them with the last time they were there. "Daddy, you're going?"

"To save you from that Emperor and his flunkies, I'm gonna have to," Josef said, ruffling her hair. "I will fight tooth and nail for my beloved little Nelly-belly."

Nelly giggled, serving all three of them tea. "You're so funny, Daddy!"

Clarisse sat up to drink the tea. "Hey, Josef. You're right. Nelly makes better tea than you do!"

"Yeah," Firion agreed. "This tastes way better than what you served us last time."

Josef shrugged. "I know that. They say that tea tastes better when you make it with love. When you make it with hate or with worry… well, it comes out in your tea."

"It's so true," Clarisse said. She all ready finished her cup's worth, and she felt like she could get up and get back into the action all ready. "And I can tell that there's nothing but love here."

"That's all there will ever be," Nelly said. "But it's getting dark. You have to rest before you go up to the snow fields, Daddy. You told me that every time you go up there, you sleep a full night and eat a big, big, _big_ breakfast!" When the tray was out of her hand, she spun around. "Big, big breakfast!"

"The biggest in the whole world!" Josef said, picking her up and sitting her on his lap. There was nothing more fulfilling for Josef than being with his daughter. Playing with her, talking with her, dreaming of the future with her. The world had so much to offer, so much more when this war was over. Josef couldn't wait to see his beautiful baby girl grow up into a beautiful woman and to chase all her would-be boyfriends away. "Because you know what you need to go in that cold?"

"You need the warmth of the strongest heart!" Nelly answered, and glomped around his neck. "And to make the strongest heart with the warmth you need, you have to eat the big, big breakfast!"

They laughed together until bedtime, ready to take on the next day when the time came.


	29. Ch 3, part 10

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 10

Cantirena woke up in the Dreadnaught Warship's captain's quarters by herself. She knew that she was having a very peaceful dream, but she had no clue as to who the people in the dream were. Her memories had become so very foggy. Was that ever frustrating! She put her hands on her forehead, noticing that she still had the jewel right there in the center. In her dream, Cantirena didn't have it. What did it mean? Her head ached the more she thought about it. She kept hearing a voice telling her that everything was going to be just fine. A voice which was soothing in a way that Mateus' wasn't. She could have laid there and listened to that voice forever.

She noticed that the ship was not flying any more. There wasn't a window to look outside, so she couldn't tell if she was back in Palamecia. She didn't know what time it was, or how long she was sleeping. There was a basket full of fresh bread, fruit, and cheese on the table waiting for her, along with a card.

Cantirena walked over to the table and picked up the card.

_Rest now, my princess. The trap is set. When the time is right, I will come for you. Yours, -Mateus_

"I've done a lot of resting," she said quietly, reading the card over and over again. "I'm going to get cabin fever if I stay in here…" then she frowned. "…but His Grace wants to keep me in here." She looked around the room. What was she going to do? There wasn't much entertainment lying about, though… there was a book sitting on the nightstand next to where she was sleeping. Well, she knew what she would be doing now.

She sat back down where she had been sleeping and picked up the book, opening to the first page. "The light of cure comes from within," she read aloud. Those words sounded very familiar. Cantirena was very certain she'd heard these words before. Maybe in a distant dream, maybe some time she couldn't remember, but she knew she'd heard those words before. "If one does not have enough strength in their inner spirit, one cannot use the cure spell to great effect." Cantirena felt her eyes burn with tears. Where had she heard these words before, and why did it feel so important to her?

She had to close the book. Cantirena looked at the cover. There was a symbol of a circled five-point star on the front. On the bottom of the circle, it read _Mysidian Tome of Mages_.

"Mysidia," she whispered. "A land of magic and ancient tradition… Wait, I've never been there. Why do I know anything about a place I've never been?"

Cantirena put the book back on the nightstand. She was confused at why it was even there. All it did was made her brain hurt, trying to recall memories that she could no longer seem to reach in her mind.

_The light of cure comes from within…_

It repeated over and over again in her mind, for some reason. She closed her eyes and buried her face in her pillow.

_The light of cure comes from within… If one does not have enough strength in their inner spirit, one cannot use the cure spell to great effect._

Her heart ached. More voices, more people, from a time or a place long forgotten? Who were they?

"_Wow, Canti! You're going to be the student of the royal mage, Minwu! You've made your family so very proud of you!"_

"_Sis. I wish I was more like you."_

"_My child, you learn at a rate must faster than I do. At this rate, your power might very well surpass that of my own… and if that happens, no one else will be happier for you than me."_

"_You're a precious girl. Don't ever change."_

Cantirena shot straight up, her face wet from the tears that wouldn't stop falling. She had no idea who she really was anymore. Why would she remember these people, these words?

That's when she started to smell it: the smell of fire in the distance. People were screaming. Swords and spears cut through them. She could feel a wind spell come out of her, and then the sensation of losing every bit of feeling in her body. Dark knights, just like the ones who worked on the airship she was in right this very second, tore up everything around her. And, a man… who looked very much like her beloved Mateus was the head of it all. She could feel a slap to her face, the falling flat on the ground.

"Your Grace," Cantirena cried. For a brief moment, she wasn't in that airship cabin. She was staring Mateus down, vowing revenge. She didn't want to believe it, but there was no mistaking it. That was his face, his hair, his hand. The same jewel in the center of his head, which looked just like the one she had on her forehead. That was him, and she wanted to kill him right in that moment. "My Emperor… did you… what were… _**WHY**_?!"

She hit the pillow as hard as she could. She felt rage, so much rage that she didn't know what to do with herself. She wanted to kill him, even though she loved him more than she loved anyone else in the world. Unable to hold back her feelings, she took her anger out on the furniture around her. The pillows burst open, feathers flying everywhere. The mirror on the wall shattered with one flick of her wrist in that general direction. The table was in pieces within seconds.

"_Now, now, Cantirena. We do not handle our anger with a tantrum."_

"_Teacher, I… I don't know what to do with all of this… this… gahhh, I hate everybody and everything!"_

"_No, you don't."_

"_Yes, I do…"_

"_Your anger will pass, my child. You must let it go. If you let your anger consume you, well… that's a path of destruction. You'll destroy who you are inside. And you don't want to do that, because everyone likes who you are."_

"_Then… is it wrong to feel mad?"_

"_No. Everyone has emotions, but they have to be handled in the right way. If you're mad at your sister, so mad you want to hit her, then you need to back away. When the anger cools off, you can approach her as to why you're mad and talk it out."_

Cantirena stopped in the middle of a punch, noticing that her hand was bloody from glass shards having cut through her skin. All that rampaging, and she was exhausted again. She picked up a sheet and wrapped her hand up to try to stop the bleeding.

"I will… wait…" she whispered, falling back over on the bed. "I will… speak to His Grace when we have the chance. I will find out what happened then. Then maybe I'll know why my memories are so muddled, too." Cantirena wanted to hear that voice of reason again. She couldn't remember who it was or why it was so relaxing to hear, but…

_I don't know who you are, but your words have saved me more than once, _Cantirena thought, slipping back to sleep.

_**END CHAPER THREE**_


	30. Ch 4, part 1

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

_**CHAPTER FOUR BEGINS**_

Part 1

Minwu arranged to meet Firion and Clarisse somewhere in the middle, so that once everything was taken care of, the group could go on their search for Gordon. Minwu did go to Bafsk and find both the book that proved Cantirena was there at one point and the pass that would allow the party entry onto the Dreadnaught without any problems, but instead of going back to Poft, which was now in shambles after being attacked, he headed back to Altair. Cid hid his airship and went to town with Minwu, so that he might have a chance to speak with Princess Hilda.

The town was starting to recover, but it was still a very silent place outside. Except for a few people traveling between the houses now and then, no one was ever outdoors. What once was a very friendly and all around chatterbox farming community had turned into a somber place which felt more like a living graveyard than a functional village.

Upon entering the rebel base, Minwu and Cid found Hilda tending to a few children sitting in a corner. There were even fewer children now than there was after the attack on Fynn, as many of them were out playing at the time of the Dreadnaught's attack.

"…and so, the brave Prince Scott drew his trusted mythril sword, and stared the dark knights down right where he stood," Hilda said to the group of children. Minwu frowned upon hearing that. He remembered when Scott proposed to her, and he could tell that just telling this story was torture for Hilda. "He was not planning on going down any time soon. He yelled to everybody, telling them all to get out, to flee for their lives. Even if he was to fall there, he wanted to make sure that as few lives were lost in the battle."

"Hey look!" one of the children said, completely interrupting the story. "It's Lord Minwu!"

Hilda turned her head to look behind her. "So it is," she said, ruffling the little boy's hair. "All right, then. I'm going to go take care of some super important princess stuff now. I need you to tell the other little ones a story in my place. Can you do that?"

"I can do that!" the boy said, hugging around Hilda. "Thank you for being our Princess!"

"We love you, Princess Hilda," a little girl said, hugging around her, too. Soon all of the children were hugging around her, proud to have her as their leader.

Hilda smiled at them. "Okay. I'll check on you as soon as the meeting is over." She stood up, straightened out her dress and her crown, and looked directly at Minwu. "Sorry about that. Let's go to the throne room to talk." In the throne room, once Hilda shut the door completely, she started to talk again. "All right, Minwu. You're back much quicker than expected."

"That would be thanks to this man here," Minwu said, pointing at Cid, who stood behind him. "We met along the way."

Hilda was more surprised than anything. "What brings you back here?" She asked the man who used to be a white knight who served in her honor.

"…this man pays better than any fare I've ever had," Cid said, shrugging. He sounded so nonchalant about it, but he was giving her a very devilish smile. Hilda could tell that even after all this time in the sky, his attitude hadn't changed at all.

"Still the snarkiest man this side of Deist, I see," Hilda said, smiling in return. "Still, it is good to see you again. I take it you've been… keeping up with recent events, Cid?"

"Aye, I have," Cid answered. "Considering two of the attacks the damn flying spittoon's made, I've been there to personally witness, it's hard to ignore. Hilda, I'm starting to wonder if our rebellion is even possible to keep up anymore." He sighed, shaking his head. "Perhaps you should offer a surrender before what little is left of your populace becomes new red sidewalk paint, hmm?"

Hilda glared at Cid, and Cid bowed his head.

"Forgive I said anything, Your Highness," Cid grunted.

Minwu then bowed his head so he could catch Hilda's attention. "Princess, I have investigated Bafsk myself. What I found there was abhorrent, but it did provide my greatest lead yet in my quest. I swear to you that when what I have set out to do is done, I will return to your side at your attendant."

Hilda nodded. "Minwu, I've done so much here by myself that I'm not sure if you need to keep watch over me constantly like you have always tried to do. Even though you had a student who was practically your daughter, you still divided your time between your royal duties and your personal endeavors. I believe your family means more now that we're in the depths of this war. Once Cantirena is home, I'm sure you will need to take _care_ of her. Who knows what that poor dear has suffered at the hands of the Empire?" She put her hands on Minwu's shoulder. "I have learned so much during his conflict, Minwu. I have seen the strength of family and friendship prevail in even this time, the darkest time of our lives. Minwu, please. Do yourself and the world a favor. Step down as my royal advisor and do the right thing by your heart, not by your duty."

"Princess…" Minwu said. He was almost saddened by hearing this. He must have been terrible at his job to be told to step down like that. "…this book right here has a few maps drawn in it by hand. I believe that using this, we can figure out where to take the Sunfire once we secure it."

"Oh, that reminds me," Hilda said, snapping her fingers. "I've received word from Josef in Salamand. He, Firion, and Clarisse set out for the Snow Cavern this morning. That is the place where the Goddess Bell is held. Once we have that…"

"We can get into Kashuon Keep," Minwu finished her sentence.

"Exactly," Hilda said. "Also, Minwu, we need to act as quickly as possible. The Dreadnaught has landed out in the middle of a field to the northwest of here. They are reconstructing a part of the hull, from what spies have been able to tell. If we can get it while it's still on the ground… this is our best chance."

"You're right," Minwu agreed.

Hilda looked at Cid. "Can you get Minwu up to the Snow Cavern, or at least in a good place to meet up with Firion's group, Cid?"

"As long as I keep getting paid, I'll be the Wild Rose's personal airship ferry," Cid said, putting his hands on his hips. "So you've no need to worry."

"I… I'm afraid our bank is empty," Hilda said quietly. "I've nothing to pay you now."

Cid winked at her. "Money is not the only payment in the world, you know." She looked appalled at that suggestion until he sighed and added, "I'll take my payment in a lifetime of freedom after this war is over. Also if you've got any food, I want to eat before I take off again."

"Food we have," Hilda said. "Eat whatever you can find. It's not haute cuisine, but it will keep you fed."

Minwu noticed there was a big pot of stew in the corner of the throne room, and an old half-dwarf looked over it carefully. The man held a ladle that must have been twice as tall as he was. It didn't matter. Everyone in the rebellion had their duties to make sure the whole organization kept together.

Standing next to the old man was a stack of bread loaves. While he wasn't hungry now, he grabbed a loaf and tucked it inside his robe. His intuition told him that he was going to need it. His nerves were shot. He couldn't manage to take a bite of anything offered right now. There was too much on his mind. He did sip on the broth of the stew for a little bit while watching Cid gorge himself. He did understand that he needed something in his system to keep him going, at least.

"You've never been a big eater," Hilda said to Minwu as they sat at the table in her throne room. "You haven't eaten for days and all you do is drink a cup worth of broth. Are you fasting for a Mysidian tradition?"

"No," Minwu replied. "If I were to eat anything more than this right now, I am sure it would all come right back up, Princess. There is too much stress in my body to put even more inside it."

Cid, however, packed it all away. "You have to eat while it's here, my friend," he said, slurping down yet another bowl of stew. He was starting on his third, and dipping bread into the broth while he was at it. "Goddess, I haven't had food this good since I lived in Fynn! None of the men in my crew were good cooks. When _I'm_ the best cook out of a group, you better believe the food we make is going to taste like shit. It's no wonder those boys got themselves so damn drunk all the time. The food was _terrible_."

Minwu laughed just enough to let them know he was sort of listening to the conversation.

"Princess," Cid nudged Hilda a few times. "Is Minwu always this lost in thought?"

"Only when he's lost a part of himself," Hilda said quietly.

"His student," Cid said, putting down his spoon. "I've got a question to ask ya, Minwu. Your girl, your student? She has dark blue hair, right?"

"Yes," Minwu said, looking directly at him. "A very rare hair color. How would you know of it? I've never described Cantirena to you."

"Because my girl, she's got the same hair color, that dark blue unlike anyone else in the whole world I've ever seen," Cid said quietly. "I was wondering if maybe you knew where they came from."

Hilda was shocked to hear about this. There was another blue haired girl? This couldn't be a mere coincidence. She looked over at the bookshelf which stood opposite of the table they were sitting at. There were legends, ancient legends, about a trio of blue haired girls… she couldn't get the thought out of her head. She walked over to the bookshelf and picked out a book, flipping through the pages.

_Before great calamity which engulfs the world, the Goddess gives to the people three girls: One carrying her power, one carrying her wits, one carrying her heart. _Hilda read from the book. _Cosmos promised upon the day of sealing the great Demon King that as long as he kept rising to revive and come to power, she would provide ones with the capability of keeping him at bay._

"I… I can't believe the legends are true," Hilda said. "Minwu, do you know anything about their birth? Who their parents were, maybe?"

Minwu thought about it. "Though the girls were never told, their parents confided in me that the girls were not theirs biologically. It does explain why they never knew that Cantirena had potential for magic as they were not mages themselves. In fact, her mother told me they found the girls, dressed in rags, clinging to one another. Though they were not old enough to remember what happened, they were old enough to speak. They knew their names by the time they were found."

Cid kept looking at the two back and forth. "So… do you think this explains why I found Candice outside in the woods? She looked like she was abandoned, so I adopted her as my own."

"Well…" Hilda thought aloud. "…where is your daughter?"

"That's the thing," Cid said. "If she's still alive, she's in the hands of the Empire, along with the ruins of my first airship, the Hilda Guard."


	31. Ch 4, part 2

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 2

Firion, Clarisse, and Josef were able to get the Snow Craft from Semitt Falls, where Josef had it hidden for quite some time. The whole excursion only made Firion wonder why it even hidden in there, especially when it used to be under control of the Imperials. How did the Dark Knights not even find it, when it was hidden in a pretty obvious location. The blue obelisk stood out like a sore thumb. Upon exiting the cavern, they noticed a black shadow over them.

"Oh shit," Firion said, pulling Clarisse close to him suddenly. "Get back in the cave! We don't know _who _the hell that is."

"Yes, you do," a voice called from above. A white robed man was hanging on a rope ladder suspended from an airship, until he was close enough to jump down. As it turned out, it was Minwu. He gave Firion a nod of respect. "Forgive me for frightening you."

The airship took higher into the air, and started flying back down south after Minwu landed on the ground.

"That was Cid?" Clarisse asked curiously.

"Yes," Minwu replied. "He has been a tremendous asset to the Wild Rose Rebellion since I found him in Poft. He's been through hell like the rest of us. Having eyes in the sky doesn't save you from what the Emperor has managed to do." He then pulled out his staff out from being tied onto the back of his belt. "I find it very strange that the Emperor has a bad habit of kidnapping daughters and daughter-like figures, don't you, Josef?"

Josef cocked up an eyebrow. "He's been stealin' _more_ girls from their homes?" Suddenly, his expression turned to an even deeper anger.

"Or from crashed airships," Minwu said.

Josef wanted to punch something. As a father, it only enraged him to hear that more fathers were having to go through what he had to go through. "This only makes me want to help ya more, Minwu. I can't keep letting it go. I'm lucky that my Nelly is safe at home."

"Meanwhile, Cid's daughter is in the hands of the Empire," Minwu said carefully.

"So is _yours_," Firion said, putting a hand on Minwu's shoulder. "Well met, Minwu. I was getting curious as to how you were getting along by yourself, but as it turns out, you're doing much better than we are."

"I think not," Minwu said quietly. "But we've much ground to cover. Josef, please, lead the way. I know little to nothing about the snow fields. I did come to join you after making my report to Princess Hilda because there's no point in having you go all the way back to Altair or Poft to meet me. Poft is nothing but a pile of rubble now. Once we have the Goddess Bell, we head straight to Kashuon."

Josef smiled at that. "Well, then. I'll be on with ya longer than I expected. When we get back to Salamand, I'll tell Nelly I'll be gone longer. It'll break the poor dear's heart, but I can't imagine sitting back and doing nothing when other fathers I'm friends with are struggling to find their daughters…" Then he looked at Minwu. "I didn't even know you _had_ a daughter, Minwu."

"I… I don't," Minwu said, looking away. "She is my student."

"You love her like she's your daughter," Clarisse added. "So it counts. Don't give me that whole 'I didn't father her' crap, Minwu. You love her, and that's all there is to it." She then started to walk on, leaving Semitt Falls for the second time this week. "So let's get up there with all that snow all ready. I am tired of standing here talking."

Minwu nodded in agreement. "I believe she's getting impatient."

"Well, she's not seen her sister since Fynn was massacred," Firion said. "I can tell she's just as lonely without her as you are. I've tried to fill that role, but… there's only so much a guy who was adopted into her family can do. You'd think she forgot that we grew up in the same house."

_You weren't the only adopted one_, Minwu thought. He turned to face the wind, his robes blowing every which way as he walked. "No, Firion. There is a different sort of bond between sisters… especially with twins like Cantirena and Clarisse."

Firion laughed. "Good thing there's not more of them! Wouldn't _that_ be upping the difficulty?!"

Minwu smirked at that. He had no idea, and right now, it wasn't worth discussing. He had yet to meet Cid's daughter, Candice. It was hard to draw any conclusions as to how the three were linked to the Goddess yet. He didn't know anything but very vague details about the Demon King of old, except that he was an enemy of the original Emperor of Palamecia. Besides, how would Clarisse take it if she was to hear that not only did she have another sister besides Cantirena – but that her other sister was also in the hands of the Empire? It would be more distracting than anything right now. She would want proof, and to meet this other lady, before she would even consider such an idea. There were so many thoughts swimming around Minwu's head that he didn't even notice Josef was setting up the Snow Craft when they reached the end of the Salamand Grasslands.

"There he goes again," Clarisse said quietly. "Hey, Minwu! Snap out of it!"

Minwu blinked a few times. "I'm sorry."

"Goddess Almighty," Clarisse grunted at him. "I know you miss my sister. Hell, I miss her, too. But being trapped in memories is no way of going about finding her and bringing her home, now is it?"

"You are correct," Minwu said. "Josef?"

"All set, Minwu!" Josef was putting the final touches on his Snow Craft. When he kicked it one final time, the sail flopped open and was ready to go. It flapped with the wind, which Minwu noticed had become much harsher since coming to the end of the Grasslands. "The snow out there gets deeper than we can walk. This here is a boat for the snow! And don't worry about bein' cold, I keep blankets here on the craft for when I need to use it. The cavern is about a day's ride. There's no way to keep her goin' at night, so be prepared. I won't sail in total darkness when there are rocks I could crash into. I absolutely refuse to drown in fifteen feet of snow!"

"I can't imagine being turned into a human popsickle," Firion said, climbing into the snow craft. "Just… no, that sounds downright terrifying."

"So you stick to what I tell ya, m'boy," Josef said. "I'll teach ya how to steer her."

"Her?" Clarisse asked curiously.

"Didn't you know all vessels are girls?" Josef asked. "Ask Cid next time ya see him about the names of his airships. All vessels are girls. It's just that simple. This one, she's… her name… this one is Sally." His expression turned sad for a moment, but he snapped right back into a smile. "Sally the Snow Craft. There's only one like her, hahaha!"

_In her honor, _Minwu thought, also climbing into the snow craft. _It's hard to believe you'd choose any other name but that._

Firion helped Clarisse climb into the snow craft, and she almost tripped over a few ropes. When all three of them were seated, he pushed it into the snow for a while to make sure the wind took to the sail correctly. Then Josef hopped in, stood right next to the mast, and pulled on the steering lever.

"And away we go!" Josef shouted, feeling the wind almost lift the snow craft off of the snow before she started to move like that of a boat. "Hahaha! This ol' girl, she'll give ya the willies if you're not paying much attention. Feel the pull of that wind, southerners? C'mon, Sally, we're gonna help save the world!" He sounded like a maniac with how much he was laughing. There never was a dull moment around Josef.

…

Meanwhile, in Palamecia, Emperor Mateus had spent the last few days sitting on his throne. He was so lost in thought, he lost track of everything. While he was essentially handing over his greatest tools for war, he knew that it would pay off in the end. Anything to get rid of the rebellion and establish himself as the ruler of the world. He could have another, better, bigger Dreadnaught built in the future, once he knew he stood unopposed.

But, the longer he sat by himself, the louder the voice in his head grew until it completely interrupted his thoughts all together.

"_You have surrendered what belongs to me. I have given you your powers, Emperor. You had better give back what is mine…"_

"Or _**what**_?!" Mateus screamed out loud, scaring everyone who could have been on that side of the castle. "My plan is _flawless_! When they take our pretty little princess back to the rebel base, we will know where they are and we can _destroy_ them all!"

"_It brings me nothing but pleasure to have a piece of the Goddess who sealed me away as my own property. You may have her body and her love, but that magic is mine."_

"That may be so, Demon King…" he muttered, "…but I will not let anyone else have Cantirena. I can sense where she is. She has not moved from where I left her to sleep, and because she is carrying my heir, she will not have the energy to move without aid. There is no reason to be upset."

"_Answer my requests, Emperor, and this world is yours…"_


	32. Ch 4, part 3

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 3

Another day, another cave.

Firion never believed he'd be spending the prime of his life going through so many damn caves. After reaching the mouth of the Snow Cavern, Josef tied down his Shelly to a large rock to keep it in place while they were inside. Clarisse took a moment to put some tights on. She shivered the entire trip there, and she wasn't going keep shivering on the rest of this quest.

Minwu went in the cavern first, feeling the air only get colder inside than it was out on the Snowfields. He never thought he would go inside a cave that practically spat out blizzards. Even with all the studying he did throughout his life, there was so much he did not know.

"All right," Josef said, once he noticed everyone was ready to go further inside. "We gotta go down a bit. It's not that long of a hike, but there are monsters in here, so be careful."

"What could live in such cold?" Clarisse asked.

"The spirits inside the cave fuse with the snow," Josef said. "Legends say that once you kill a monster in here, the spirit just fuses with more snow to be reborn as a new monster." He pulled his favorite poncho around himself. Even for a man of the north like himself, this cold was hard to withstand. "That would be a great reason for the Kashuon family to hide their bell here, wouldn't ya think?"

Firion was confused. "So instead of having to pay for guards, they just rely on the monsters?"

"It is cost effective," Josef said, shrugging. "And, think about it for a minute. What's the Goddess Bell used for? To open the way to Kashuon Keep, which is where the Sunfire is kept, right? Who would search a cold place like this to get the key to the hottest thing in the world?" He laughed about it. "The Kashuons are pretty smart."

Minwu used his staff to light the way, as the further they went into the cavern, the darker and colder it became. "Watch your step," he said very quietly. "The ice is extremely slippery." He looked at the walls, which were lined with snow as much as the floor. Much of it was caked into the natural cracks in the rock. "This blizzard looks like it's raged since the beginning of the world."

"It has," Josef said. "This cavern is the coldest place in the world, and if it weren't for the high mountains keepin' it in, the snow would rage all the way as far south as Altair. That's how strong the cold is." He led them down, down, down…

Two floors later, the wind stopped abruptly. After fighting their way through several battles filled with monsters that looked human, but were made out of the snow, they came to a floor that seemed to have no monsters at all.

"This place is pretty quiet," Clarisse said softly.

"It's here," Josef whispered. "This is the place where the Goddess Bell rests."

"Why are you being so quiet?" Firion asked at full volume.

A loud roar sounded throughout the cave, causing snow to fall on top of the group. Everyone except Minwu, at least, because he was able to call up a barrier in the split second needed to keep himself from being pummeled by the snow.

"That's why," Minwu whispered.

The roar came again. This time, it was much louder.

"Nice _going_, Firi," Clarisse mumbled.

_Why the hell is it always __**my**__ fault?! _Firion thought angrily. _No one said 'hey wait a minute, when you get to the bottom floor, there's a fucking monster sleeping that you'll wake up if you speak in full volume' at any point during this entire trip. If Minwu and Josef knew about it, then why the blazes didn't anyone say anything to me?!_

Josef looked at Firion. "Don't look so confused. We were going to have to fight it _anyway_." He kept on walking. "So don't go thinking it's all your fault or anything, m'boy."

It didn't take long to get there. The corners were winding like a maze, but it wasn't hard to make sense of the path. There, on top of a small set of stairs, sat a large turtle with spikes sticking out of its back. It was mostly brown, with spots of blue, and had massive clawed paws sticking out. When it noticed them, it let out the roar, and it was so loud, it knocked Clarisse off her feet.

"That is an Adamantoise," Josef said. "She's a mean bitch."

"You've fought her before?" Firion asked, amazed by hearing that.

"No, but I have fought her babies," Josef said, half laughing. "And they're almost as mean as she is. Almost being the key word."

"Is there a strategy to taking out an… Adamantoise?" Clarisse asked. She sounded more scared than shocked.

Josef walked closer to the massive turtle, which towered above him in height. "Your measly weapons aren't going to do much on their own," he said, looking at Minwu. "This gal's got a shell harder than any mythril-made armor."

"There's a reason why they call it Adamantine," Minwu thought aloud. "Which is the hardest material known to our world. It's even harder than that of diamonds." He prepared his staff. "If that thing sets eyes on me, he's going to break my concentration."

"So I'm on decoy duty then!" Firion said, stepping forward with Josef. "Fair enough."

Clarisse felt useless. What was she going to do?

"Clarisse?" Minwu called to her gently. "Remember the scrolls I gave you?"

"Y-yes?"

"I'm going to need your help," Minwu said, looking right at the Adamantoise. "While those two buy us time, I want you to help me cast spells at the turtle. Stand behind me."

Clarisse frowned at that. "But… but I'm not… I'm not Cantirena! Don't… don't instantly assume that I'm… Canti, Minwu! I might look like her, but I am not her…" All she'd ever done was fight with her sword. She never was the type to cast magic, white or black, before.

"I know you're not," Minwu said. "You don't _have_ to be Cantirena for me to have the utmost faith in you." He took a step forward. "Believe in yourself, Clarisse. Don't be bound by what roles you believe you are restricted to. You are your own person, and you will continue to grow in all ways." He put the blunt end of his staff hard into the snow. "Feel the energies as they flow through your body. Know in your heart that this turtle stands in the way of completing your goal, and use your feelings to guide your actions. You have a strong heart. All you must do is follow it, Clarisse."

_The heart of a Goddess_, Minwu thought as he became engulfed in his own magical energies.

"Josef! Firion!"

"For all the fathers who have lost their daughters to this war," Josef said loudly. "I will take down the queen of the cold!" He ran right up to the turtle, putting all his force into his fist. When the Adamantoise lifted her claw and tried to smash Josef with it, he backed away just in time. This only angered the creature further, sending her into a fit of rage. He ran at her again, causing no damage whatsoever to it. "Aye, mother of turtles, you're harder than anything I've ever fought!"

"Back off," Firion said, running at the Adamantoise at full force. "I don't care what your titles are! You're not going to stand in my way of bringing that Emperor to his knees!" He smashed against it with every bit of force he could muster, and that just didn't help at all, even with the shiny, pretty blade that Master Tobul had made for him in his hands. "Gahh! She's a _rock_!"

Minwu released the first spell. It was a blast of wind, straight from the palms of his hands. "_**AEROGA**_!" he shouted. Clarisse remembered that the spell Cantirena cast against the Dark Knights during the attack on Fynn was also a wind spell, which she named 'Aero'. The wind did some damage to the turtle, but it was nowhere near ready to die just yet!

Up to that point, Clarisse had done absolutely nothing helpful. She put her hands together and tried to mimic what she believed she saw Cantirena practicing before. She prayed with all her might.

_Canti, how do you cast a spell? I've never done it before…_

Suddenly, her mind sparked with memories. She could hear Cantirena's voice.

"_Magic is a lot easier than you might think. Lord Minwu taught me that if I put my hands together like this, and put my feelings through my hands… look! A little fire! But if I want to cast something bigger, it'll take a lot more emotion to do it. Casting a cure spell is pretty similar, but it doesn't rely on intelligence, it relies on the strength of your spirit! If you're dumb and can't concentrate your thoughts, well… you're just not going to be casting magic!"_

"_Wow, Canti. You sound like you learn so much from Lord Minwu."_

"_I sure do! He's so nice and always knows whatever I ask him. I like having him as my teacher!"_

"_He sounds better than the village schoolmistress, that's for sure."_

Clarisse stomped her foot. "I've got it!" All of her feelings for Cantirena came out in a large fireball, aimed straight at the Adamantoise. "Feel my burning wrath! Fire!"

The turtle did not like that one bit. It hit her in the face and burned off parts of her ultra-hard skin.

"Hit there," Minwu said. "Hit where the skin cracked!"

Firion ran at the Adamantoise yet again, shoving his blade into the soft, exposed spot. The sword went straight through the monster's face, but she was still not dead. When Firion jumped back, Josef ran back in, landing a good punch on the weak spot. But before Josef could make his get-a-way, the Adamantoise got him with her claw, straight down his back.

"Josef!" Clarisse called out. "You're bleeding!"

"Don't worry," Minwu said, switching from casting another attack spell to chanting one of healing. That came much faster, which should have been obvious. Of course it was going to be faster. Minwu was a white mage, after all. A glowing burst of pale green energy covered Josef, sealing up his wound.

"You got another one of those in ya?" Firion said to Clarisse. "Minwu's got his hands full keeping Josef alive. I need another spell to make another weak point."

Filled with a new found confidence, Clarisse seemed able to tap in to magic ability she always had. Once getting over her fears of being compared to Cantirena, she understood everything. "All encompassing cold… Blizzard!" A coldness came to her fingers, and a bolt of ice shot from her hands, impaling the creature's neck. It slumped over and within a few minutes, breathed no longer. Slowly, its body dissolved into the air, and the podium at the top of the stairs was now clear.

"Whoa," Firion gasped, turning back to look at Clarisse. "Claire, where did that come from?!"

"I'm not sure," Clarisse said, blushing.

"It came from within you," Minwu answered, helping Josef to his feet. "There is no other answer. You aren't your sister. As long as you remember that you are your own person, Clarisse… there is nothing more you need."

Josef pointed at the top of the stairs where the Adamantoise used to stand. "Up there," he said. "That's where it is…"

Firion ran up the stairs and found a large brick wall standing there for what seemed like no good reason. He looked it over, until he found what looked like a bell shape in what seemed to be the center. He put his hand up to it and that part of the wall broke off, revealing a stone bell with the figure of a woman on it. "This must be the Goddess Bell!" he said happily. "We've got it!"

"Wonderful," Minwu said. "One step closer."

The wall where the bell was kept fell over completely, revealing a hidden pathway. Josef pushed Firion out of the way, looking through the path. He walked up in further, only to find another door. When he opened that, he could tell that he was back on the first floor of the cavern again.

"Come up this way," Josef said. "This leads back up top! It's a short cut."

"That's nice to hear," Clarisse breathed out. "I'm bushed after that battle. I've never… it was just…"

"It was your first time casting magic," Minwu said. "It's going to drain your brain and your natural energies. It will take you a bit to be back to yourself again. But with a shortcut, we'll be back in a place to rest in no time."

"Nelly likes bells," Josef said. "She's going to love to see it!"


	33. Ch 4, part 4

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 4

Cid landed back in Altair, after having delivered Minwu with Josef's group. He looked satisfied with himself, until he found Hilda outside the rebel base with a very sad look on her face.

"Princess," Cid said, walking up to her. "What's wrong?"

"Oh, Cid," she cried, trying to hold her tears back. "I just needed a moment. I… I… can't do this on my own." She turned to face him. "Everyone in that building expects the world of me. The children look up to me like I'm a mother, the army treats me like a commander, and I…" Hilda let her tears start falling. "…I haven't even properly mourned my fiancée's death. Why, if he were here, I know… I would be stronger for it…"

Cid put his arm around her shoulder, and while normally she would have pushed it away, Hilda accepted his comfort. "Princess Hilda, you are a mother to your kingdom and a commander to your army. That's what a queen is. But, at the end of the day, you're still a normal woman, despite the hand destiny has dealt you," he said gently. "No, my lady, you are an extraordinary woman, and you will not be alone forever. If you open your heart along the way, you will have that companionship you long for."

"I never thought I'd have to lead all of my country on my own," Hilda said, so frustrated that she wanted to punch a wall out.

"How is your father? How is King Gilbert?" Cid asked.

Hilda frowned even more than she was. "He… he knows his time is coming to a close. Cid, I feel absolutely terrible. I've sent Firion and Clarisse off on their own so many times with no way of being able to aid them, and poor Minwu is torn between what he wants to do and what he has sworn to do…"

"Princess, do you want me to take you to them?"

"…and leave my father? I'm as torn as Minwu, it seems," Hilda said. "I don't know _what_ to do."

"Listen to me, Hilda," Cid said. "You need to make decisions for yourself. You aren't going to surrender Fynn to the Empire, right? That means you need to be as brave as the people who fight in your name. You gave to inspire them to continue to be brave. Their bravery in turn will keep inspiring you, and before you know it, you have massive bravery circlejerk that has more courage than the evil Empire can stand against." He looked into her beautiful green eyes and put one hand against her cheek, caressing it very gently. "Princess, there's not any woman in this whole world as _beautiful_ as you. Even with tearstained cheeks, ripped gown, knotted hair, and broken crown. Even with all that, you are still more beautiful than the Goddess herself. But it's not just how you look that makes you beautiful. What do you for your people, what you do for those you care the most about? That right there? That's what the people follow you for."

"Cid…? I didn't… I didn't know…"

"I've always fancied you, but when I saw you fall for Scott, my heart made the skies the woman of my dreams so I wouldn't have to watch you court another man. It was wrong of me to lust after the princess I swore a vow to, so I had to leave your court." Cid said. "I will not try to court you again, though. I'm sure you have a much younger man in mind than me, and I need to find my daughter, alive or not. But I do want you to know that I support you. I want you to be the righteous queen that I know you can be, Hilda. I swore a vow to you long ago. Even if I do not wear your armor or carry your banners anymore, my beautiful lady, I cannot forget it." He ran his hand through her hair. "Whatever you need done to win this war, I will not hesitate to do."

Hilda looked up to him. "I appreciate your generosity, Cid. Right now, I want you to support Minwu's efforts as much as you can. Fly to Salamand, take him to Kashuon. Minwu needs to find his student, and in turn, he will help you find your daughter. I think we should all bring our families together, as closely as we can. That… that is where we will find our strength. In our families."

"Yes, Princess," Cid said, pulling away from her. "There is nothing stronger than the love for the ones we cherish. Together, we will prevail."

"I am banking on that as well, Sir Cid. You may not wear my armor or carry my banners, but you are still a white knight of Fynn. I don't believe you have ever changed, though you seem to want to act like it."

Even though Cid hated hearing that title, he accepted it because it came directly from the Princess he had always been so dedicated to. "You see straight through me, Your Highness. I am flattered to know that you know me as well as you do. I will launch straight away to Salamand and meet up with Minwu and that party the moment they return from their current mission. Please, Princess Hilda, hold yourself together here. We all rely on you, just as much as you rely on us."

"Fare thee well, then," Hilda said, waving at him as he headed back out of town. She turned back to head into the base again, somehow feeling stronger having been able to talk to Cid again.

_Strength in my family_, Hilda thought. _I will find my strength in you, my beloved Prince. I will use your bravery. Guide me, my love. Lead my hand and my heart to victory._

…

The Snow Cavern didn't feel much warmer as Minwu led the party closer to the exit. By the time they could see the light coming in from the opening, they found someone standing in their way. A short, pudgy man wearing a cape and a big captain's hat with a feather sticking out of it had his hands on his hips and one particularly evil looking expression on his face.

"Ha!" he said loudly. "I _thought _so!"

Minwu's heart raced, and for a brief moment, he flew into a blind rage. Josef had to grab his cape to keep him from running at the stranger in full force. Clarisse's heart almost stopped dead in its tracks, and Josef had to use his other hand to keep her from charging at the stranger, too.

"What's gotten into the both of ya?" Josef asked, letting them both go.

"Borghen!" Minwu muttered.

"Well, well," Borghen sneered, "Fancy meeting a guy like you in a place like this, my old friend. Too bad you also didn't find your student while you were here, hmm?" he laughed. His laugh sounded like a rooster being tortured.

"That's enough out of you!" Clarisse growled at him. "Where is she? Where is Cantirena?!"

Borghen sighed. "You know. I gave that pretty girl a chance. I saved her from torture, and what did she do? She refused my offer to take her to safety. I'm sorry, Clarisse, but I haven't the foggiest idea as to where she is."

"You're a liar," she said, drawing her sword. "Always have been, always will be!"

"You can choose to believe me, my dear, or you can choose to not believe me," Borghen said, putting his hand on the hilt of his sword. "But I will never lie to my student."

"You're a traitor to the crown you swore vows to," Firion said. "I think that qualifies you for being a liar." He was ready to take the bastard down, too. After all, it was Borghen's betrayal that led to the fall of Fynn, the death of his family, and his adopted sister being missing.

"Your student!?" Clarisse shouted. "What kind of teacher decides that he wants to let his student get killed? _Minwu_ is a _real_ dedicated teacher, going to the ends of the Earth to find the girl he practically raised! …Those Dark Knights, they tried to kill me! They were under your command, weren't they?!"

"No, they were not," Borghen said. "The Emperor himself was there, personally. I couldn't give them an attack. I could only let them know that the guard's lookout was down when we started the attack…" It was clear that he had some remorse as he was talking to Clarisse, but he never did apologize for all he'd done.

"You _stole_ Cantirena," Minwu said, having a hard time keeping his magic from flying out of his hands at the speed of light. "You trapped her trying to lure me out, did you not?"

"If you think for a second that Cantirena vanishing is my fault, no. She stood up to the Emperor himself. She really is your student, Minwu. She faced off with the Emperor and _lived_ to tell about it." Borghen said simply. "She was never in my custody at any point. I did save her from being eaten in her sleep by monsters that one time in Bafsk, but she didn't seem too _thankful_ for it. Maybe I should have left her in that field to die. Then the Emperor would have one less weapon in his inventory to use against this doomed world."

"Speak ill of my student one more time," Minwu growled. "Do it. I will forsake my vows as a white mage and unleash holy _hell_ upon you."

"And all that doesn't clear the beef that I have with ya," Josef said, pulling Clarisse back behind him. "You are a lout and a liar, and even before the fall of Fynn, it was obvious that you were a traitor. You've stolen Minwu's daughter, just like you stole _mine_. You stole your own _niece_ because you wanted just a little more power in the Imperial army."

"Yep," Firion said. "Borghen, you're _doomed_."

Borghen looked directly at Josef. "I did not _steal_ Nelly. That was the Emperor's doing."

"You could have said 'no, that girl is my niece' or _something_ to show that you _cared_ about the fact that she's your brother's only child!" Josef screamed, his face wet with tears he'd been holding back far too long. "But no. You blindly obeyed because who knows what the Emperor paid you with…"

Clarisse and Minwu both said it at the same exact time: "Where is Cantirena?!"

"By now?" Borghen asked. "That poor girl is with the Emperor, as she has been all this time. He has taken a liking to her, so don't worry, she's not living in any of the slave labor camps. _Yet_. I figure once he tires of her, that's where she will end up, though. He's not too kind to the ladies who don't tickle his fancy. But that's not why I'm here. I didn't come here to tell you all of this."

"What? What do you mean?" Firion asked. "Why are you here then?"

"You see, my standings with the Palamecian government have slipped far too many times," Borghen explained it rather quietly. "And if I go back there, the Emperor will have my head on a pike, put on display over the gates in Palamecia as an example of what happens to those who defy him." He pointed at Firion. "So, be a good boy and give me the Goddess Bell."

Firion shook his head. "You want us to aid in your climb to the top after betraying everyone you've ever known? …_Fuck you._"

"I won't hesitate to take it by force," Borghen said, drawing his sword out.

"Oh yeah?" Josef asked, jumping in front of Firion. "Ya'll get that bell out of here. This bastard's my brother. It's my duty as a man to kill him and put him out of our misery."

"Ohh no," Clarisse said. "That asshat is responsible for everything that happened in my home. I'm allowed revenge."

Borghen drew his sword, unable to tolerate any of this incessant talking anymore. He slashed at everyone a few times, but when Minwu used his staff and clunked him on the back of the head with it, Borghen flopped to the ground with much resistance. No one was hurt. The fat man really wasn't much for show.

Clarisse was disappointed inwardly, because the man who was her teacher in swordfighting turned out to be a miserable pile of pathetic putrid pus. She was innately better than him even without a teacher!

"…you never were that good at fighting," Minwu said, looking down at the man he used to consider a friend. "End this charade. Help me find Cantirena and bring her home, and we will forgive you."

"Forgive me?" Borghen asked. "The… rebellion would… forgive me?"

"Swear that you will help me find my student," Minwu repeated his offer. "And I will bear you no animosity."

"I suppose if you put your position to _good_ use, there's no reason to take you out," Josef said, agreeing with Minwu. "There are other fathers out there who don't get as lucky as me, having friends who are willing to go save their daughters."

"…yes, sure," Borghen said, sitting up. "I… I will help you find Cantirena and anyone else you're missing…"

Firion looked at Clarisse. She didn't seem too happy about the overall outcome, but she had a look of relief on her face. Perhaps their journey would be coming to a close, and they could once again be a happy family? Minwu, Clarisse, Cantirena, and he would have made the happiest family in the world, he just knew it. There would be learning and love. More happiness than any of them ever had in their entire lives up to this point. It was a future worth working for and a future worth forgiving for.

"Then let's get going," Minwu said. "We do have plans to head to Kashuon as soon as possible."

"Yeah, I gotta stop by the house and pick up a few things since it will be a longer trip," Josef said. He put an arm around Minwu's shoulders. "You're a forgiving man, Minwu. Even staring down a man you hate with all your being, you're still able to show him mercy. That takes guts, my friend."

Minwu shook his head. "My love for Cantirena is stronger than my hatred for Borghen."

They started to head out. The outside air was starting to feel really good, even if the snowfields were amid a constant blizzard. Borghen got up off his pudgy butt, and while he started to follow behind the others, he pulled out a dagger he had hidden under his coat.

"…you could have accepted the Emperor as your ruler," Borghen muttered, running up behind Minwu. "But you just had to fight back!"

Josef reached over, snatching the knife from Borghen's hand by the blade. It cut deep into his hands, bleeding all into the snow on the floor of the cavern. "You dirty—"

"Josef!" Clarisse cried. "Your hand!"

"Backstabbing two-faced miserable putz!" Josef yelled, throwing Borghen onto the ground. "Even in the face of forgiveness, you will betray the world for just a scrap from the Emperor's table, you hound!" Even with his hand cut up, he still punched the everlasting daylights out of Borghen, splattering the miserable captain with his blood. Once, twice, three times. Josef couldn't hold back anymore. "Firion's words were right. _**Fuck you**_." When Josef finally did manage to stop himself, Borghen was nothing but a bloody pulp with a mashed face and not a single tooth left in his mouth.

"…you may have killed me," Borghen whispered, "But I will not die alone… this cave… is booby trapped! I will see you in _Hell_, big brother!" The body of the fallen general disintegrated once he had passed on, but a hole in the wall opened up behind him. With a click in the distance, the whole group could see it. There was a gigantic boulder coming down the hall, straight at them!

"_**RUN!**_" Firion shouted, grabbing onto Clarisse and Minwu with both of his hands and running as fast as he could. Josef was right behind him.

The boulder was coming down the hall almost faster than they could run, and in a split second, Josef turned around and put his massive hands up to stop it from doing.

"Josef, what do you think you're doing?!" Clarisse yelled at him.

"You… you gotta do… what you… gotta do," Josef said, putting all of his strength into keeping the boulder from rolling any further. "So… Firion, you gotta get out of here. Take the lass… and the mage, and high tail it…"

"No," Minwu said. "I'm not going to leave you here. Run with us."

"_Listen_ to me, you dumb shits!" Josef roared. "You have a _job _to do! You are the spearhead of the Wild Rose Rebellion, and you have to… ah, shit…" he pressed harder. "Get the hell out of here, you three. Save the fuckin' world all ready!"

"I'm… I'm so sorry, Josef…" Firion said, carrying the other two to the opening of the cave.

"My sweet Nelly…" Josef whispered. "Daddy… daddy isn't coming home this time, baby girl…" he felt tears fall down his face. "But don't worry. This world… this world will be saved, and you'll be able to live in freedom once again… so, it's worth it… I… I love you, Nelly."

When Firion reached the mouth of the cave itself and could see the bright snow shining below his feet, he turned to look behind him. The moment he did, the large boulder smashed against the wall, preventing him from going back inside the cave.

"Josef!" Firion shouted. "Josef! Are you there?!"

There was nothing but silence. Even the blizzard seemed to stop.

"Josef, you ass, answer me!" Firion shouted again. "Come on! Nelly's waiting back home for you, you big lunk! _**ANSWER ME, YOU MOTHERFUCKER.**_"

Minwu bowed his head in respect. "Firion, he's gone…"

"No, no he's not. He… he _can't_ be gone…" Firion cried, pounding his fists against the boulder which blocked his path. "Josef! Talk to me!"

Clarisse slumped over, sobbing.

_Why… why did you have to…?! _She thought, unable to find the strength to stand. _Josef, we needed you to help us fight the Empire… we needed you!_


	34. Ch 4, part 5

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 5

Exhausted, starving, nervous… all of these words suited Gordon the more he sat inside Kashuon Keep on his own. There he sat, his spear across his lap, huddled in the corner of the hallway right next to the first door he originally came in. The torch he held burned so low that he couldn't see the mythril tip of his spear, or even the top of his boots. The cries of the ghosts around him made him feel much smaller than he ever was. He felt so small and shriveled up, not knowing what to do or where to go anymore.

How many days had he been trapped here? He lost count. Gordon wondered what was going on in the world outside. He hoped with all of his heart that Princess Hilda's Wild Rose Rebellion still stood in opposition of the Palamecian Empire, or he was going to die in that exact spot. He wondered about everyone who was fighting, and how they were doing, when he noticed the wall was starting to open.

"Well, that was anticlimactic," a familiar voice said on the other side.

"No kidding," a familiar female voice said.

The door swung open, and light poured in from the outside. Gordon rushed to bring himself to his feet, clutching his spear with both hands. He was ready to fight, wasn't he? He could rush out the door after killing whoever it was, right? _Right_? Probably not.

"Your… Your Highness?"

Gordon squinted in the darkness. He lifted up the torch to see that Minwu was right there, staring him straight in the face. "Lord Minwu!" he shrieked. "You… you made it in? I thought I was the only one who could-"

"We went to go get the Goddess Bell."

Gordon looked to see that Clarisse and Firion were standing there with Minwu, and he let out a sigh of relief. "You've saved me," he breathed out. "Take me home. I can't stay in this damned castle any longer!"

"Prince Gordon," Clarisse said gently. "So the reason no one could find you is because you've been _here_ the entire time? Why did you go without us?!" She hugged around the prince, even though she knew she wasn't supposed to. "Everyone was worried for you. Especially Princess Hilda! I thought for sure we'd lost you to this war, too."

"You're not going to lose me to the war," Gordon said, returning her gesture of affection. "You're more likely going to lose me to this place. When you left me in Poft, I did find Cid and his crew. After talking everything over, I realized that to do my part in this, I needed to get the Sunfire. I'm the last heir of Kashuon, so it is my duty. But I came here without preparing myself at all, and after finding out about the ghosts inside, I've not been able to move any further than this spot right here… I _want_ to fight! I want to help! I'm _tired_ of being useless, but I can barely move. I'm tired, hungry, and my spirit is spent…"

Minwu was glad his intuition was right. Gordon looked starved. He reached into his robes and pulled out the loaf of bread he'd been carrying with him since he last visited Fynn with Cid. "Prince Gordon, here. Eat this for now, and when we get home, we'll give you a real meal," he said. "You won't be able to make it through this without something in you."

Gordon gasped, reaching for the bread. When Clarisse pulled away, he ate it all as fast as he possibly could. He figured at this point, he'd even eat onions to relieve that emptiness. Then he bowed to Minwu. "Thank you," he said. "You really have saved my life."

"And now, it's your turn," Minwu said. "Come, Prince Gordon. We need the Egil's Torch. There are more lives which must be saved." He put a hand on Gordon's shoulder. "You grew up in this castle, yes? That means you can guide us."

"I would," Gordon said, "But I think it's changed since the Empire attacked. The ghosts of the fallen Kashuon citizens are here, bound to this place. I hear them, moaning in pain… being forbidden to pass into the afterlife, because of their unsolved vengeance."

Firion looked around. "Ghosts?" he asked. He didn't hear anything at all like what Gordon described.

"Oh yes," Gordon answered, pointing ahead, "The ghosts of the slaughtered."

Minwu blew the torch out and tossed it on the floor. The light was too dim to use anyway. He tapped the end of his staff on the floor and used the gem at the top to light the hall instead. "We go," he said, heading in the direction away from the door. "The Kashuon Keep is several floors high. Keep your wits about you."

Clarisse looked at Gordon. "You're a brave man," she said, "To know your duty and take it upon yourself to go through with it. But, you want to know something? Keeping it all to yourself was really stupid, and what would we do without you? If you die, Kashuon is no more."

"Perhaps it would be better that way?" Gordon asked.

"_NO_!" Clarisse shouted at him, catching the attention of both Minwu and Firion. "Every life… every life has meaning! If you throw your life away, then you're no better than that damned Emperor."

"Clarisse…" Firion said, trying to calm her down. "Come on, now that's enough."

"No, Firion," she said, pushing him away. "If you throw your life away, Gordon… you're telling him that he was right all along. It's the same as bowing to him. You are a part of a rebellion, the only rebellion left! We _need_ you… like we needed Josef…" She sniffled loudly. "So get on your feet and move _forward_! You are a prince, the younger brother of… of the bravest Prince to ever walk these halls. You have his blood in you! Act like it!"

Gordon took in a deep breath. "All right," he said, even though he was shaking in his boots, and he was sure he all ready pissed himself a few times while sitting there in the darkness. "I will press onward, milady. Thank you for… pulling me out of that fit of despair. I will always remember your harsh kindness."

"That's not easily forgotten," Firion muttered quietly, only to get a thwack from Minwu's staff to the very tip of his head. "Well, it's _true_, Minwu."

Gordon chuckled a little. "We shall proceed," he said, following Minwu's lead. "I will face… the trials. If I don't succeed-"

"You will," Clarisse and Firion said immediately while having the deadpan expression, cutting Gordon off.

"Fair enough," Gordon said with a sigh.

…

Candice and Paul hadn't moved since they sat down originally, and boy, it wasn't just boring and painful. It was so noisy from all the sounds of reconstruction going on that if they wanted to sleep, they couldn't. It was dark in the hallway that led to the jail. They both could hear a symphony of stomach gurgles between them. Candice couldn't remember the last time she ate. Paul couldn't remember the last time he took a quiet shit in peace. And neither of them could remember the last time they actually slept.

Then, the light in the hall flickered on.

Neither Candice or Paul bothered looking up to see who it was.

"Rise. The Empress of Palamecia comes to greet you, prisoners," a guard said from the hallway.

"Do… _what_?" Candice asked, her voice rough and hoarse. "The… _Empress_?" She didn't even know there was one, so this confused her quite a bit.

Cantirena walked into the hallway and faced the prison bars. "I thought you might be a little hungry, so I brought this," she said, holding out one of the baskets that was always left to her every time she woke up. "They give me too much, even for someone who eats for two."

"Cantirena?" Paul asked, turning around to look at her. He crawled over to the cell doors, enchanted by the smell of the food. "So you are doing this as just a ruse! I knew it!"

"What are you talking about?" Cantirena asked, passing an apple through the bars. "I am the Emperor's wife. There is no… ruse of any kind." She looked very puzzled by this. "I just came to share some of the food given to me because I don't know how long His Grace is going to keep you in here."

"Does he know you're here?" Candice asked, also coming to the cell door. Paul handed her the apple and she instantly bit into it. She wasn't particularly fond of red apples, but she didn't care – it tasted like heaven. "The Emperor, I mean."

"To be perfectly honest, I don't know _where_ he is," Cantirena answered, giving them a loaf of bread. "Here. I can't eat everything they give me, so I figured I'd share it." Then she just put the whole basket through. "If I can, I'll bring you a basket a day."

Paul shook his head in disbelief as he ripped the loaf in half and passed one half to Candice. "If this isn't a ruse, then I don't know why you're helping us. We're… you know, we're rebels."

"Someone I knew, or dreamed of perhaps… I don't know where he came from… well, anyway, this person taught me that taking care of others is simply the right thing to do. To give when we have extra, for example," Cantirena explained it so simply, but both of the prisoners were completely confused by that. "So as long as the Emperor doesn't mind, then I'll keep doing it."

_She's talking about Minwu, _Paul thought. He kept eating and eating, though he knew if he overate while like this, he was going to put himself in an even worse state than if he was just hungry. _But it sounds like her memories are… muddled or something._

"It _is_ nice of you to share," Candice said. "Though I have no idea what we're going to do when we need to take a dump."

"There's not any toilets down here?" Cantirena asked. "Well that's unpleasant."

"We're prisoners," Candice said, half-laughing. "We're not at a health spa. I don't think we're supposed to feel pleasant." She took a very good look at Cantirena. For a moment, she felt like she could have been looking into a mirror. This woman seemed very familiar, even though there was no chance they could have met at any point.

"I don't think His Grace would like it if I were to let you out," Cantirena said quietly. "So here's what we'll do. When you finish your food from the basket, just use that. I'll… I'll dispose of it for you, if I can."

"One question," Candice said. "Why aren't _you_ in charge of Palamecia? You sound like you'd be a much better ruler than… well, you know…"

"That is not my place," Cantirena said. "I am a servant to His Grace."

"I certainly don't think he'd find this in his service," Paul grunted. "He's not a merciful guy by any stretch of the imagination, milady. Listen, I don't want you to do anything that would end up getting you into trouble. If you can't help us, don't. We'll be just fine."

"But-"

"You heard the man," Candice said, giving Cantirena a thumbs up. "Besides, what self-respecting rebel wants to take help from someone who serves the Emperor? We're enemies. You shouldn't be keeping your enemies healthy."

Cantirena shook her head. "You're refusing my help?"

Paul and Candice looked at each other. They really didn't know what to say to that. Of course they were hungry and wanted to be taken care of, but at the same time… something about this whole arrangement didn't feel right.

"I know!" Cantirena said, clapping her hands. "I will ask His Grace on your behalf! You can join our side, and then we can be friends." She stood up and waved at them as she left. "Try to keep your spirits up. Not all is lost." She left the hall and the guards flipped off the light.

"I… have no idea what just happened here," Candice said, looking at the basket of food. "Honestly… that was just _weird_."

"She's still the same gentle girl," Paul said. "But the way she spoke about Minwu makes it sound like her memories are mixed up. I know the person who taught her to be good to everyone, even enemies… that just has to be Minwu. The Emperor must have used some sort of dark magic on her."

"So… answer me this, then. Why would the Emperor of Palamecia marry a village girl who just happened to be the student of the royal mage?" Candice asked. "There's no political gain from that."

"Maybe the Emperor actually loves Cantirena, but he doesn't know how to express it. From what it sounds like, he dotes on her," Paul thought aloud. "Giving her baskets of food every time she wakes up?"

"She did mention she was eating for two," Candice mentioned.

"…oh _shit_." Paul breathed it out, dropping the piece of cheese he'd been eating. "She's _**pregnant**_. That… that is…"

"They had to consummate the marriage at some point, right?"

"…the day Minwu finds out about this… I don't even want to be on the same continent…"


	35. Ch 4, part 6

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 6

Kashuon Keep had indeed changed since the fall of the country named after it. Monsters were not the only problem. While Gordon told the group he could hear the ghosts from the first floor, by the time they hit the fifth, everyone could hear them wailing out for revenge against those who killed them. They cried angrily about Gordon being a terrible replacement for his brother, Scott, and screaming in abject hatred for trusting the Kashuon royal family for protecting them. Gordon was there at the massacre of Kashuon, and he knew for a fact that even though he and his brother failed their people, there were plenty of people within the royal family and the castle guard who fought and died trying to keep the enemy off of them. His own knights were a part of them. It not only made him feel smaller than a flea, but it made it that much harder to keep going forward.

Minwu remained mostly silent during the trek to wherever the Egil's Torch was hidden. Not because he was lost in thought like he had the tendency to be, but because he had the utmost respect for the fallen. He could not help but think of Fynn, wondering if the ghosts of the fallen citizens attached themselves to Fynn's castle, too. He was unsure if he could handle voices of souls of people he knew and helped through their daily lives. He knew pretty much everyone in Fynn, as it was a small village in comparison to places like Mysidia, Palamecia, and even Kashuon. Fynn was still a growing community, and one of the newest countries founded in the world. The castle was really the only thing that set it apart from villages like Galtea and Salamand.

"They don't ever stop wailing," Firion thought aloud. "Yo, so, where's the torch, Prince Gordon?"

Gordon wished he paid attention to more of the legends surrounding that of his family, because he wasn't very sure where it was. Maybe they said something about it, maybe they didn't. Man, did that make the prince feel like a total failure.

"Gordon!" a voice called loudly from down the hallway. It made the prince look up with hope in his eyes. That voice could only belong to one person. "Gordon, come this way!"

"Wait," Minwu said. "Is that…?"

"Come, my brother! There is something I wish to show you! The tutors spoke of it during our lessons, and I asked around about it. They say it's some kind of magical torch for the Sunfire," the voice continued.

Gordon ran so fast after that voice that no one could snatch his cape to keep him from running. "Scott, is that _you_?" he asked. While the ghosts still wailed out with their painful moans, all Gordon could hear was that voice that seemed just a little further than he was. "Brother, please, do not play games with me now!"

"I bet even Princess Hilda would be impressed if I showed her that torch, haha," Scott's voice said. He seemed so peaceful. "But you can only get it if you pass this trial. Who knows what the trial is…"

Clarisse was the first to catch up to Gordon. He was stopped at a door which had the same symbol on it as the door that led into Kashuon Keep. He put his hand on the symbol, and the whole building rumbled before it slid open. When Firion and Minwu came around the corner, they found Clarisse standing there, pointing inside the wall. Gordon had all ready gone in.

Inside that hole was a burning bright flame. Gordon, having come this far, walked up to it. He was looking for Scott, but didn't find anything but that flame.

"I heard there was a monster guarding the torch," he said. "I guess the monster is the trial that Scott spoke of…" He looked at the flame, and after looking at it for a moment, he could see a face inside it. He gripped his spear, holding it over his heart. "A red soul. Fitting trial for someone who needs to take the ultimate fire…" Gordon looked up, praying silently before getting into a battle position. "I am Prince Gordon of Kashuon! I am here to take the Egil's Torch! Prepare yourself, monster!"

"Good…" The voice that came out of the fire… was _Scott's_! "It's good that you have come…"

"Brother?!" Gordon looked around. "You're in here, aren't you?!"

"My beloved younger brother," Scott's voice said gently. "How I have longed to see you again… you've grown so much since I saw you last. Princess Hilda must find you even more handsome than she ever found me." The fire burned brighter, intensifying the heat in the room. "Face me. Prove to me your courage as a man, and your strength as the last living Kashuon."

"I could not face you in battle," Gordon quivered. "Facing any monster is easy, brother, but facing _you_?"

"That's not really your brother," Minwu said. "Your brother did not die here in Kashuon. He died in _Fynn_. Do not let that voice deceive you, my lord." He brought Firion and Clarisse closer to him, then cast a spell that would make them resistant to fire. "Unfortunately, this is your trial. You must face it. We must not help you in battle, Prince."

"But we are here with you," Clarisse reminded him. "And remember, the world is counting on you."

"Yeah!" Firion said with a nod. "You can do this, Gordon! You're a son of Kashuon, and that makes you braver than anyone in the world! Kashuon is a passionate place, symbolized by the hottest fire known to man. You have that fire burning in you."

Gordon blushed. "I didn't expect a cheering squad…"

"Doesn't matter," Clarisse said. "Now you got one!"

Gordon nodded. "Of course," he said, turning to face the flame. "Bring it on."

The fire swirled about the room. Gordon had a hard time seeing it. When it made a lunge at him directly, Gordon thrust his spear right into the head of it. It didn't seem to visibly affect the red soul, which caught him off guard. He was hoping that would do some kind of damage.

When Gordon noticed the way to the torch's altar was open, he made a break for it, but the fire cut him off and formed a wall. Gordon stared beyond the fire, wondering how he was going to pass it if he couldn't hurt it with weaponry.

_What… do I do now…?_ Gordon thought. _I couldn't damage it! Gahhh, this is frustrating!_

"Do you give up, my precious little brother?" Scott's voice asked from the fire. "Do you have no more courage within your heart? This world is doomed. The Empire will take over this world and nothing can stop it."

_No. It won't be my fault as to why the Emperor takes over the world… _ Gordon thought angrily. _I won't have the entire world blaming me! No way! I have enough guilt to carry to last me a lifetime. Hilda and everyone back at the rebel base in Altair need my help. Firion, Minwu, and… just like Clarisse told me earlier: They need me… they __**need**__ me!_

"No! You're wrong!" Gordon shouted. "We are the… We are the Wild Rose Rebellion! Wild Roses bloom no matter the circumstances, no matter where they are planted. They will even bloom in waste!" He walked up to the fire, and no longer fearing anything, he put his hand through it. It burned like hell, and his clothes caught fire, but he didn't care. "We will triumph! We will win!" He then stepped into the flames, feeling the burning pain of all of those he failed around him, and with a determined expression… he passed through the fire completely.

"The heir stands strong," Scott's voice said. "Forgive me… for not being there when I needed you… Gordon."

"Brother…" Gordon said quietly. "…you are always with me. You've never left my thoughts or my heart."

"I love you, little brother. Take the Egil's Torch. Let the flame in your heart burn as bright as the Sunfire itself."

Gordon took the torch from the altar, and the red soul slowly disintegrated. All of the heat in the room went with it. He held it up above his head, feeling victorious for the first time in his life. He finally felt like a true prince, like he deserved the title he'd been bearing since the day he was born. "I am Prince Gordon, true heir to the throne of Kashuon. I will burn as brightly as the Sunfire until my dying days." Then he looked back at Minwu, Firion, and Clarisse. "Come on, everyone! We have a Dreadnaught to blow to pieces!"


	36. Ch 4, part 7

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 7

After Minwu warped the group out of Kashuon Keep, Gordon went back inside to get the Sunfire with the torch he claimed just a bit ago. Outside was Cid's airship, waiting for them. He brought them from Salamand to the keep, and once Gordon came back outside with the Sunfire, Cid was ready for them to jump right on to the next task.

Clarisse waited on the deck of the airship, sitting against the wall of the cabin where Cid was next to the steering wheel. She was still affected by Josef's death and she could still remember Nelly's reaction when they went to tell her the truth.

"_Da… daddy's not coming home, is he?"_

Even though she must not have been a day over ten years old, she didn't cry at all. She just took in a deep breath and nodded, like she knew why it happened. Nelly accepted it and silently vowed to move on from it, while Clarisse couldn't let it go. Her heart ached. How could she have let someone so strong fall in battle? Was there anything she could do to stop it from happening? The rebellion was much less for it. The more she thought about it, the more she had a hard time keeping herself from crying again.

Minwu walked up to her and kneeled down next to her. "Clarisse," he said, "Tell me your troubles."

Clarisse shook her head. "What?" she asked, looking at the dark-skinned mage. "What do you mean? I'm… I'm glad Gordon got through his trial, and… we're heading straight to destroy that damned Dreadnaught…"

"You've never seen someone die, have you?" Minwu asked her, sitting next to her.

"I… I… no, I haven't," she replied. "Ha… have you?"

Minwu nodded, leaning against the same wall she did. "It is my duty as a white mage to watch over those who are hurt, both physically and mentally, and aid them in their suffering," he said. "I have seen men fall right before my eyes."

"But… you are a healer… couldn't you just bring them back?"

Minwu gave her a very stern look, straight into the eyes which were the same color as her hair. "Every man who lives will die. I do not pretend to be the Goddess or know the reasons why she has men die when they do. Tampering with that… that is forbidden," he said. He closed his eyes after a few minutes. "I cannot bring a man back from death."

Gordon and Firion soon came up the ramp on the side of the airship. Gordon was holding up the blazing fire in the Egil's Torch. "Here it is," he proclaimed with a big smile. "This… this is the Sunfire."

"Wow, I can feel the heat all the way over here!" Clarisse said, standing back up.

The fire burned almost like any other fire they'd seen before. The difference was that in the center of the blaze was a white center, surrounded by light blue flickers that would come in and out. The legends said that the Sunfire was originally a drop of sunlight, which was why it never went out. Looking at it, none of them could really disagree with the legend. It was hotter than any other fire.

"That's the real stuff alright," Cid said, looking at the torch. "We ready to go, then?"

"Yes!" Firion said, pointing forward. "Let's go to the Dreadnaught! Move out, Cid!"

Cid smiled, pressing the button next to his steering wheel. The ship slowly lifted off into the sky, and took off in the direction opposite the way the wind was going. The propellers spun with all their might. Even so, the Dreadnaught was right below them within minutes.

For a few minutes, Gordon had problems with the movement, but he held still so that the flame would also held still. He never had the courage to stand up straight and tall like this before. He wondered if it was because he was holding the symbol of his country and his family, or if maybe he had grown braver.

"That's it…" Clarisse said, looking over the side of the ship. She'd never seen anything so huge before laying eyes on the Dreadnaught, and flying over it only made it seem bigger than when it was flying over her in Poft. "It's… it's bigger than a mountain!"

"Aye," Cid said. "That monstrosity is a real piece o' work! So I want you to go in there, find where the engine is, and throw that Sunfire right into it. But when the flame hits the engine, ya won't have long to get out. Minwu, you should probably cast Haste on everybody before ya go in."

Minwu nodded. It was a dark knight infested demon's nest in there.

Cid landed the ship right next to the airship. "So. Ya'll come back to me in one piece, ya hear?"

"We will," Clarisse said, hugging around Cid. "You're the best pilot ever."

"Thank ya kindly," Cid said gently. Suddenly, he was reminded of his daughter, Candice. It must have been that dark blue hair on her head. He couldn't think of any other reason why at that moment, so he didn't try to think about it much more than that. "You're practically my kids, so, do me a favor and don't make me bury ya."

"It's nice to have a dad with sweet digs like an airship," Firion laughed. "But no, really, we should get going."

…

Inside the Dreadnaught, Cantirena was making her way down into the bowels of the ship once again. She carried yet another basket of food to give to the prisoners, as even when she tried to send a letter to Mateus asking him about her request, no one would deliver it for her. She smiled when she reached the hallway with the prisoners. At least doing this gave her something to actually do. She was bored just sitting in the captain's quarters all the time.

"I'm back," Cantirena said. "Are you two hungry? I managed to walk away with some meat today."

Paul nodded. He came to the front of the cell. He looked much healthier than before Cantirena began bringing them food. "Wow, that's unusual. Typically you just bring breakfast food."

"Well, because I didn't eat all of mine that was given to me for lunchtime. I thought you'd like some," she answered, slipping the basket through the iron bars. "So I just kept it aside."

"You sure that won't get you into any trouble?" Candice asked. She noticed there was a green apple in there this time. "Hey, thanks, you got me a green apple. Those are my favorites!" She took a big bite of it, and the experience was almost euphoric. She'd really been wanting one of these for a very long time.

"So I heard," Cantirena said. "I can't get in trouble if His Grace doesn't know about it. And I tried to send him a letter so I could ask for your pardon. I really did. But none of the Dark Knights will send it. He hasn't been here for days. I'm starting to worry about him."

"The Emperor?" Paul asked. "Come on, my lady. You know he is very strong and capable of handling himself. There is nothing to worry about. Wasn't it you who told us that not all is lost?" He smiled at her, and she, in turn, smiled right back at him.

"You know what?" Cantirena asked. She stood up and walked over to the nearby Dark Knight who was watching over the hall. "Excuse me, may I speak with you?"

"Empress!" the knight responded. "How may I serve you?"

"I wish to free the prisoners," Cantirena answered. "Will you please let them free?"

Paul gasped out loud. _What… what is she __**doing**__? _He thought, watching the situation as best he could.

"I'm sorry, but my orders come from the Emperor," he said quietly.

Cantirena crossed her arms. "Do you know what happens to subordinates who happen to offend the Emperor's wife? If I were to take you to His Grace, why, I bet he would lop off your head!"

Candice dropped her apple in total disbelief. What was going on here?

"But-"

"But nothing, soldier. Free these prisoners for me. I will explain to His Grace myself as to why I freed them," she said, stomping her foot. "Do this for me, or you will suffer the same as any traitor to the crown."

"Right away, Your Highness!" the knight walked into the hallway and pressed a combination of buttons on the wall. The door swung open with a loud creaking sound. "The Empress has freed you. Be sure to show her your gratitude." He walked down the hallway quickly.

Paul brought himself to his feet, and then helped Candice up.

"I'm… confused as to why you did this," Paul said. "Please, tell me what this is about. You've done nothing but stump me since you started feeding your _enemies_."

Cantirena hugged around Paul. "I like you both. You shouldn't have to be prisoners. You're very good people. Now go. Leave the Dreadnaught and live your lives freely."

"Hey, I got an idea," Candice said. "Come with us! We would love to have you along with us."

"I'm so sorry," Cantirena said, letting go of Paul and hugging Candice instead. "I am to remain here, where the His Grace has told me to wait for him. He said he will come for me when the time comes, so it is my job to wait for him. So go. Be on your way."

"I will never forget this," Paul said. "I swear it to you. One day, when you're in trouble, I will be there to help you."

"Fair enough," Cantirena replied quietly. "Now go! Get off my husband's airship!"

_I will see to it that Minwu knows you're here,_ Paul thought. _You may not come with me, but I know for certain that you __**will**__ leave with Minwu._ He darted out as fast as he could run, and Candice went with him.

Cantirena watched them go. "The only sad part is… now I'm all alone again." She started to leave the hallway, but by the time she made it around the corner, both of the former prisoners were gone. "Ah well. For rebels, they sure were nice people. And here I thought they were all mean and nasty! Well I was certainly proven wrong, wasn't I?"


	37. Ch 4, part 8

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 8

Minwu led Firion, Clarisse, and Gordon up to the one opening in the hull of the Dreadnaught. He carried the pass and book he found in Bafsk, just in case someone decided to stop them from going inside. He was nervous, which was odd for him. Something about this place felt different to him. He could sense something nearby. It was not evil, so he could tell it was not the Emperor himself.

"Well?" the guard standing in the doorway asked. "What do you want?"

Minwu presented the pass. "We're here for the reconstruction."

The guard looked at the pass. "Oh, my apologies!" he said, bowing his head in respect. "You can report in to Her Majesty on the top floor, or head straight to work down below."

_Her Majesty? _ Minwu thought. _The Emperor is __**married**__?_ _Since when?_

"Thank you," Minwu said, leading the other three behind him.

Inside the ship, there was nothing but Dark Knights. Looking around, they were all busily organized, working on reconstruction on the hull. There were no visible holes or anything like that, so it seemed really weird that they'd be working on it, but no one was going to interrupt them while they were working.

"Let these ones out," a loud voice said from the other side of the area. "They were set free by the Empress herself!"

Firion looked over to see who it was, only to find a familiar face staring back at him. "_**PAUL**_?!" he gasped. "What are _you_ doing _**here**_?"

Paul turned when he heard his name called. "Well met, m'boy!" he tapped Firion on the shoulder as he passed by. "Look, I have no idea why you're here, and I've got no time to figure out why. I'm on my way to meet up with Minwu and-" Paul bumped right into Minwu, as he was not even looking where he was going. He was on a hurry out that door.

"Paul? You need to speak with me?" Minwu asked. "I'm right here."

"Seven hells," Paul said. "Looks like the whole gang's here. Wow, even Gordon, too? Shit, it's like you rolled out the red carpet or something."

"Who are they?" Candice asked from behind Paul.

Paul smiled. "These guys, well… it's probably not a safe idea to talk about it right in the middle of… well, _here_, but I digress. They're really, really close friends of mine…" He pulled Minwu away for a split second. "I don't know why the hell you're here, buddy, but your girl is in this ship!"

Minwu had his own gasp. "…my Cantirena is _here_?" he asked. "Is… is this true?"

Clarisse's eyes all ready watered and she didn't even lay eyes on her sister yet. Firion was beaming, too. It did look like their adventure was finally coming to an end. He hoped so, too. He was so tired most of the time.

"Aye," Paul nodded. "She was the one who let us go free. She wouldn't come with me. Oh man, Minwu, you've no idea the shit that's happened. Listen, you grab Cantirena and we'll meet back at Fynn."

"There's an airship outside," Clarisse said. "You can go there, tell the pilot that we sent you and that you're a part of our group. He'll be happy to accommodate you."

"That's splendid," Paul said, motioning for Candice to follow him. "Come on, we're supposed to be high-tailing it out of here!"

_Cantirena set those two free,_ Minwu thought. _But why didn't she go with them? …Wait…_

"You three, find the engine," Minwu gave them the order strictly. "Go. Now."

"You're going to find her?" Clarisse asked. "Why don't I go with-"

"There's no time. I will move quicker alone," Minwu said. He sounded almost angry. "You came here with a _job_ to do… and so did _I_."

He hoped his intuition was wrong, even though it never had been in the past. Hearing the guards say that the Empress freed Paul and that girl with the dark blue hair, and then hearing Paul say that Cantirena had done it. He started to run. He was told that he could meet the Empress on the top floor of the airship, so he headed up every flight of stairs he could. He ran with all of his might. The thing he sensed was at the top, too. By now he was very sure that he had found his beloved student after all this searching.

At the top floor, he found a door with a flower on it and one guard standing in next to it.

"_Yes_?" the guard asked. "This floor is for the Empress only until further notice."

Minwu had his lie planned ahead of time. "I was told when coming aboard to report to the Empress before starting my duty. May I please see her?"

"Ah, of course," the guard said. "But if she is resting, please respect that and go to work first. I will send her your way when she wakes."

"That's fine," Minwu said as the guard moved over and opened the door for him.

When Minwu walked through that door, it instantly closed behind him. He found himself in a room that looked very much different from the rest of the ship. Of course, it was a mess. The furniture was all in shambles, except the bed. He walked closer to the bed only to find blue hair sticking out of a blanket. Minwu reached to pull the blanket back, and there she was.

_Cantirena!_ He thought joyfully. _How… much I've missed you…_

"Cantirena?" he said, putting his hand on her shoulder. "Cantirena? Come now, my child. We do not have much time. Wake up. Please. Come on. _Wake up_."

She grumbled a few times in her sleep. "Your Grace, I can't right now… You've worn me out…"

Minwu didn't know what to make of this. He decided to ignore it until he was able to get Cantirena home. No matter what she said or did, he had to get her out of there. The other three were on their way to destroy this entire ship, and he was not having his one and only student blow up with it. "Cantirena!" he said louder. He forgot how hard of a sleeper she was. "Wake up!"

She shot straight up, rubbing her eyes. "I swear, if this isn't to greet His Grace I'll have you-"

"For the love of the Goddess," Minwu groaned, "Cantirena! We have to leave this ship, now!"

"Leave?" she asked. She looked directly at Minwu, confused. She couldn't remember who he was, but she knew he was familiar. She knew his scent, his skin, and his eyes. "I can't leave it. I'm sorry. His Grace has told me to stay here on the Dreadnaught. He will come back for me when the time is right. I will do as he has commanded."

"I hate to tell you this, but the ship is going to be destroyed," Minwu said. "And we can't have you on the ship while it… explodes." He tugged on her. "Come on now. We really do not have much time."

"…those rebels?" Cantirena thought aloud. "The rebels I set free… they betrayed my trust?!" She shook her head angrily. "I'll have them hunted down and killed like the traitors they are! And I went to the trouble of feeding them, too… that's the last time I trust anyone other than His Grace."

Suddenly the lights in the ship all started blinking red.

"They've found it," Minwu said. "Come along, Cantirena!"

"No! I was told to wait for His Grace!" she shouted at him. "I will continue to do so!"

Minwu sighed. "…I'm so very sorry…"

_What… what's happened to you?_ Minwu thought. He didn't have many options, though. Using his staff, he cast a sleeping spell on Cantirena. _Sorry to do this to you, but… I see no other options._ Yes, it made little sense to him, too, having to wake her up and then put her back to sleep. He went over to the door and cast the same spell on the guard. The guard slumped over into a very peaceful position. Then he turned back to Cantirena, gathered her up in his arms, and started his run back down.

The sirens were very loud. The dark knights didn't do anything but keep working, and when Minwu thought about it, Cantirena was going to stick with what she believed she had been told, too. There was some sort of dirty magic at work here. Something Minwu disliked very much. No, no, he didn't just dislike dark magic. He _abhorred_ dark magic.

Minwu was on a race against the clock, carrying Cantirena and trying to dodge all of the Dark Knights who were standing in his way. When he made it out of the ship, he looked back to see that no one was coming. He searched frantically.

"Hey, _**Minwu**_!" Paul's voice shouted from the airship. "Come on, my friend! We're all on the ship! Get the hell away from there!"

Minwu immediately turned around and ran again, barely putting his feet onto the deck before Cid launched off the ground and zoomed in the opposite direction as quickly as the ship was able.

Behind them, they could all hear a huge explosion. Minwu didn't bother to look back. He held his student in his arms, and for that one moment, it felt like the world was finally coming back together. He couldn't believe what he just did, and his feet felt like rubber beneath his weight. Minwu fell back onto his butt, still holding to Cantirena very tightly.

"You found her!" Clarisse exclaimed joyfully, sitting down next to Minwu. "Oh, you're home! You're finally home, sis…" She cried tears of the greatest happiness. "Don't worry, Minwu. We're all going to take care of her. We're all going to work together!"

Cid looked over, seeing Candice over on the other side of the ship. "Hey, missy. Care to explain what you're doing here?"

Candice turned around, noticing that the pilot was Cid. "Oh _shit_, Dad. I didn't even _see_ you there." She walked over to him and hugged on his arm. "I've been through _Hell_ you couldn't even _imagine_. It all started the afternoon I… uhh, I took the Hilda Guard. I crashed into a mountain on the other side of the border of Palamecia, and… well, the Emperor himself found me aboard. When I said he couldn't have it, because it belonged to you… he put me in a slave camp. That bozo over there-" she pointed at Paul, who was in the middle of congratulating Minwu "-not only got me free from there, but he got on the Dreadnaught because he got a look of the Empress' face, saying that he needed to know why she was there. But, as luck would have it, he got us caught - by the Emperor himself, no less – and we were put in the hold until this morning, when that girl with the blue hair decided to let us go. That's when the others showed up and… and… that's everything."

Cid ruffled her hair. "It's good to see you. It's real good to see you again. Listen, ahh, when we get back to town and things get settled in with the Princess, we really have to talk."

"Talk?"

"Yeah…" Cid said. "…I don't think I ever told you… about your mother, or anything like that, did I? Where you were born, or any of that."

"No, Dad, you never did talk about anything like that…" Candice said. "Why? Is this important?"

Cid nodded. "More important than you realize. But now's not the time to go into it. We're all high strung from super stressful things that have gone on. We all need to rest, to eat, to bathe… hell, I don't know _where_ to start. But what matters, Candice… what really matters… is that you're back home with me. And I've… I've really missed you, kiddo."

Cid piloted his airship directly to Altair. There was so much to do… So, so much to do.


	38. Ch 4, part 9

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 9

Emperor Mateus, sitting on his throne, hadn't moved since he sat there after leaving the Dreadnaught behind. He slept there fully dressed, and while many of the servants were worried about him, they dare not bother him, lest they end up in the dungeons, or worse. When the door to the throne room creaked open, he opened his eyes very slowly to see who it was.

"_Yes_?" he asked of the man who stepped through.

"Pardons, Your Imperial Majesty, but we've received urgent news from the Dreadnaught!" the man said, bowing his head. "Rebels have destroyed the ship, and what's worse… the Empress cannot be found."

Mateus sat up. "Excellent," he said. "You may go."

"But, sire-"

"Is there _more_?" Mateus asked, putting his head against his hand.

"There is nothing else to report, sire," the messenger said, looking down at the floor.

Mateus then asked, "Do you have anything you'd like to tell me?"

The messenger nodded, but he was obviously afraid to say anything.

"Speak up," the Emperor said. "There's no use in just standing there."

The messenger looked back up at Mateus. He took in a deep breath and said, "It's… it's about the Empress, sire. Reports have stated that at the time of the explosion, there was an airship flying above it."

"And?"

"And… it's possible that rebels have kidnapped Her Majesty."

Mateus nodded. "Yes, that is _possible_. In fact, it's very _likely_. There is no use in a man like _you_ speculating about what has transpired. It is your duty to carry messages, not to _strategize_. Only men in power have the right to _think_. Please, avoid wasting my time any further in the future by sticking to your duty while I stick to mine." He then waved his hand dismissively. "I am a tolerant man. I will let you get back to _work_. So, please, be on your way."

"Yes," the man fell to his knees and bowed. "As you command." He then quickly picked himself up off the floor and left the throne room via the door he came in through.

Mateus smiled. _…not like I didn't know this all ready._ He thought. _Just wait, my dear… I will come for you __**soon**__. I'm sure you feel terrible about being taken from where I told you to stay, but do not worry. I am not mad at you. _He looked around the throne room, finding it exactly the way he left it before he dozed off.

"Prepare a meal," he said loudly, knowing that someone would be listening. He hadn't eaten much, and an Emperor could not conquer an entire world on an empty stomach. "On second thought… a cheesecake would suit better than an entire feast."

…

Minwu used the age old technique of establishing a room with hanging cloth in the rebel base at Altair, so that he could watch over Cantirena without anyone staring at either of them. The two main rooms in the base belonged to that of the Princess and the King, and he was not going to take either of them out of their beds to make way for his student. Cid held Cantirena while Minwu set everything up, while Candice and Clarisse set up a bed for Cantirena to lie in.

Cantirena did not wake during the flight, and when Cid put her down in the bed, she didn't even seem to feel it. She slept so deeply that nothing around her made her react, no matter how much anyone spoke to her at any point. Minwu felt terrible about having to cast a sleeping spell during the escape, but his spell did not last this long during any other circumstances where he used it. Something was wrong to have her sleep so much and so deeply.

"Minwu?" Hilda's voice came from on the other side of the cloth wall. She came through an opening. "So, you've found her!"

"Yes," Minwu replied, though it was not his normal tone. He was not just preoccupied, but he was nervous and his mind was all over the place. "But, as you can see… she is not herself right now."

"Take as much time as you need," Hilda said. "I had a feeling you'd need to take care of her when you brought her home. But I am happy for you." She walked closer, passing Cid, Clarisse, and Candice as she came to Cantirena's bedside. "Gordon has told me a lot of things about your recent adventures, Minwu. You know, he really has grown up. He is… very much like that of his brother now."

"I'm glad to hear it," Minwu said, not really caring about anything Hilda had to say.

"But there are more important things to talk about," Hilda said, looking at Cid. "Are you ready to talk about this now, or do you want to wait?"

"How important to do you think it is?" Cid asked, reaching to put a hand around Candice. "Because I told my girl that we needed to talk when we got settled down, but-"

"I don't think it'll do any good," Minwu snapped, "Because, as you can see, Cantirena is practically comatose." He glared at Hilda. "Can this not wait?!

"I'm afraid that if we wait too long, we won't have the chance," Hilda said, putting her hands on her hips. She looked down at Cantirena and noticed that something was glowing faintly. "…wait. Minwu. What… what is that?"

Minwu looked down at Cantirena. He saw the glowing, too. He reached down and pulled the hair from Cantirena's face to see the purple gem in the center of her forehead. He had no idea what that was or where it came from. It was never there before. "What in the world… is that?"

Candice bent over. "That's the same mark the Emperor has on his forehead!" she said. "I remember! I saw it plain as day! He has that same purple gem on him, in the same place."

Minwu shook his head. "Why… is my Cantirena… wearing the same mark… as the Emperor?! Can somebody _explain_ this?" He looked ready to blow the entire place sky-high.

"That's easy to explain," Paul's voice came from the opening in the cloth wall. "Here ya go, Minwu. Have some nice, healthy reading. I've been carrying this book since I got it because I get the feeling you're the only one who can put this to any use." He handed the book Airu gave him right to Minwu. "I've read it during my downtime, and I get the feeling that mark pretty much cements the poor girl's doom."

"Paul, now's not the time for your jokes," Minwu said, looking at the book. He opened it and flipped through its pages. "Th-this is a Palamecian history book… these are forbidden outside of the borders of Palamecia!"

"Yep," Paul said. "I told you I'm a master thief! …but in all actuality, I did not steal that book. It was given to me by someone who knew what the hell she was talking about." He put his hands on his hips and kept explaining. "Turns out the Emperor sent his own _mother _to one of his slave camps. The same night I picked up Miss Candice over there was the same night I met the former Queen Regent herself dressed as a slave, sleeping on potato sacks and hay. But she still had her regal qualities… The lady Airu was up at night reading that book, saying that it held the secrets that the Empire has guarded for years… or something like that." He pointed at the book. "The mark that your girl's got on her head, and the one that the Emperor's got on his? Yeah, that book says something about it being a 'mark of ascension'. It means that the powers that rule the royal family of Palamecia have accepted her as a part of the ruling dynasty…"

"So this means she really did _marry_ the Emperor?" Minwu asked.

Clarisse stood there with her jaw wide open, unable to even digest that question. There was no suitable response that she could think of.

"Oh I don't think it has anything to do with being married, though the way the Dark Knights treated her and spoke to her, it's very likely that they did tie the knot during her stay at the palace," Paul said. "As well as… other things, I'm sure. Having lived in Palamecia before, I can tell you that the Emperor wouldn't have a lady around if he couldn't bed her."

Minwu held his hand up at Paul and started casting something, but Hilda slapped his hand down to keep him from releasing that spell.

"_**PAUL**_!" Cid yelled at him, knocking him upside the head. "Did you have to go that far?! What sort of father-figure wants to hear that about their daughter, huh?! Ya lousy, no good-"

"I'm not going to sugar coat anything, and Minwu needs to know the truth," Paul said, stepping away from Cid. That bump really hurt. "But, anyway. Minwu. Read the book. I don't want to give away any spoilers, but I get the feeling that Emperor is not the heart of the conflict here."

"What do you mean by that?" Hilda asked.

"That book describes a conflict that took place during the founding of the Palamecian Empire, between a servant of our Goddess Cosmos – that being good ol' Emperor Palamecia the First - and the Demon King Iluia," Paul said. "The powers of Cosmos were able to seal away the Demon King, trapping him in a stone. Cosmos told her servant that the family of the Emperor was charged with keeping watch over that stone, so it's been kept as a family treasure in a secret location ever since. But, the way the book tells it, the Demon King is very well alive and is able to use his dark powers to influence those around him. Airu even said it herself, that she believes the Demon King is working through her son, because apparently, he used to be a very kind and gentle prince before he became possessed."

"I believe that," Minwu said. "The first time I met him was during a council in Fynn. He was at peace. A young man of great promise and destiny…" he took another look at the stone in Cantirena's forehead. "So. This mark. It-"

"I'm getting to that," Paul said. "That mark is not because she's been made into their Empress. That mark is the brand of the Demon King himself. Minwu, Cantirena has that same dark power that the Emperor does inside her body, and… it's very possible that it's eating her alive."

"You're joking," Clarisse said, instantly feeling tears running down her face. "You're… you're full of shit, Paul."

"I'm not," Paul looked at her. "I wouldn't joke about this to the man I consider to be my closest friend." He shook his head. "I'm not like that, and Minwu knows it."

Minwu sat down, looking through the book further. "Leave me," he whispered.

"All right," Paul said, walking out.

"I will read through this book… and figure out what I can do to break this possession," Minwu said very quietly. "You will leave me to think. All of you. Now."


	39. Ch 4, part 10

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 10

Minwu stayed next to Cantirena for the next day. When he wasn't checking her vitals or watching that gem in the center of her head glow, he was reading the book Paul gave him. He knew when others came into the temporary room to check on his student, but he didn't acknowledge them. Clarisse came in the most often, sometimes just to sit on Cantirena's other side. One time, she even got on her knees and prayed to the Goddess. Minwu wished a simple prayer would help, but he didn't stop her from doing it. Firion once had to drag Clarisse out of there because she broke down into uncontrollable tears. Candice and Cid stopped by once, neither of them unable to say anything, but still wanting to show their support. Hilda started to walk in, but once she saw Minwu wasn't moving or even talking to her, she didn't bother coming in any further. Paul tried to cheer Minwu up one time, but Minwu didn't even look up at him. Minwu was determined to learn all he could. He was going to break this dark magic, no matter what the cost.

Suddenly, at somewhere near sunset of the day after the Dreadnaught's explosion, Cantirena sat straight up and let out a very loud belch.

Minwu almost jumped ten feet in the air, as he was so absorbed in reading the book, he didn't notice her getting up at all. "Cantirena?" he asked quietly. "Are you all right?"

She put her hand over her mouth. "I feel _terrible_," Cantirena replied. "Oh, everything hurts…"

"Keep resting," Minwu said, smiling underneath his white mask. "It's relieving to know you're still alive. Sickness we can heal. Death we cannot."

"I felt like I was dead," she said, falling back on her pillow. "In a deep, dark place that I couldn't get out of. And I felt my stomach hurt so bad, like it was going to just pop right out of me that… it woke me up…" She looked around. Cantirena didn't remember being in a room that had drapes for walls, but she didn't have the strength to argue about it. "So… um, who are you, exactly?"

Minwu blinked a few times, like he couldn't believe what he just heard. "You do not remember me?" he asked.

"…I've heard your voice before. I remember your turban and robes. I… I don't know, I think I dreamt of you before," she said, looking at him. "But this is the first time I believe we've met."

"It's all right," Minwu said, trying not to break down into an emotional mess. "I'm here to take care of you. I will not rest until you're better."

"Oh," Cantirena whispered. "That's awful kind of you… When my husband finds me, I'm sure he will reward you handsomely for your good will. He would certainly be upset if he were to lose his wife and his heir."

"Excuse me a moment," Minwu said quickly. He got up and stormed out of the temporary room he had built, ready to burn the entire place to the ground.

"Whoa…" Firion gasped as he watched Minwu leave the building. He chased after the mage, grabbing his cape to keep him from leaving town all together. "Hey, there. What happened?"

"I am going to Palamecia myself!" Minwu snapped. "Let go of my cape!"

"Hey, settle down, Minwu," Firion said, pulling on his cape harder. "I know this is frustrating, but you said you were going to stick with your student until she was better, right?"

"I'm going to kill that Emperor with my own two hands. Damn my vows, that man is dead," Minwu said angrily, trying to get Firion to let him go. "Release me, Firion!"

Firion shook his head. "Oh no, I'm not letting you go anywhere. This certainly isn't like you. You're always so calm and collected. I hate to say it, but I'm starting to think the darkness that Cantirena has inside her is starting to get into _you_."

"…what?" Minwu asked. He suddenly stopped struggling.

"I can't imagine any other reason as to why you would act like… like _this_," Firion said calmly. "You're always telling us to calm the hell down, so… I had to do the same for you. We're all pretty high strung, you know?"

Minwu sighed. "You are right…"

"So, you mind telling me what happened?" Firion asked.

"Well… Cantirena is awake," Minwu said.

"She is? That's great!"

"Not really," Minwu's shoulders sagged. "Her memories have been tampered with. She… says that just now is the first time we've met. And…"

"And?"

"…and that she's married to that tyrant!" Minwu shouted at him. "She's not only married to him, but she's carrying his _heir._"

Firion let him go. He felt like Minwu's anger was completely justified upon hearing that. He always thought of Cantirena like his little sister, and this wasn't very easy for him to take. "But the question is, did it really happen? Is she really pregnant?"

"She seems to believe so," Minwu said.

"Yeah, but her memories have been tampered with, right? So maybe the Emperor added that in to keep her close to him, to keep her from straying away? It's possible that he didn't marry her, either. Maybe she just remembers it because of those tampered memories," Firion suggested. He shrugged. "But I'm not a doctor. I couldn't… I wouldn't know what to check or anything like that. Maybe, when she falls asleep again, you should check her out. Like, physically."

"Give her an examination…" Minwu agreed that would probably quell his fears more than anything. He would see what was true. "…thank you, Firion. I lost myself there. I appreciate it."

"It's only what you would do for us," Firion said, hugging around Minwu. "You've been supporting us for a long time, and Cantirena even longer. I could never forgive myself if I didn't do the same for you. Now, come on, you should probably go back in and check on her. Who knows what she's doing in there by herself?"

Together they went back inside the rebel base and headed for the cloth wall that Minwu set up the day before. Inside, they found Cantirena lying in bed, half asleep. She looked like she was dozing out again, but she wasn't quite there yet.

"I will require assistance," Minwu said. "Gather up Clarisse and the other girl… Candice, I believe her name is. Also, I want you to stand at the opening and make sure no one comes in once we start. Can you do that?"

"Of course," Firion said, walking away.

Minwu sat next to Cantirena, in the same place he had been sitting in all day. He put his hand on her forehead. "You're going to be just fine," he whispered. "No matter what the Emperor has done to you, I will protect you… because I love you."

Cantirena seemed to be sleep-talking, which Minwu found to be odd. "Minwu…?"

"Yes," he said. "I'm right here with you."

She repeated his name a few more times, each time a bit sadder.

"I don't know what kind of dark magic he's used on you, but I swear on my life that I will find a way to break it," Minwu whispered. "You must hold on for me. I know it hurts. I have no idea what he's made you see or do. Inside your mind, you are alone… you have to endure all you've gone through alone…" He reached over to touch her face. She was crying. "But… not anymore."

Firion came back in, this time with both Clarisse and Candice.

Minwu turned to look over at them. "Will you two help me give Cantirena a medical examination?" he asked. "I need to check everything."

"If it might help bring her back to who she used to be, then yes, of course!" Clarisse said.

Candice nodded. "I'm not sure what use I will be to you, but… if I can help, I would be more than happy to do so."

"You are females. I am not." Minwu said, standing up. "There are things I do not know about a female body. That is why I am asking you to help me with this."

"Gladly," Clarisse said, giving Candice a high-five.

Minwu had Firion stand right in front of the flap to make sure no one accidentally came in and saw anything they weren't supposed to. He had both of the girls stand on either side of Cantirena, and he at the end of the bed. The moment both Candice and Clarisse put their hands on Cantirena, there was a bright light that shimmered between the three of them.

"Wha… what is that?" Clarisse asked.

"Okay, I am definitely tripping balls over here," Candice said. "Minwu, what the _hell_?!"

"…proof of who you _are_," Minwu breathed out. "Three girls left by the Goddess to face the ultimate evil… the legends have come _true_."

There was some kind of power coming between the three, some kind of power that Minwu did not understand or comprehend. It was warm and calming, but also vast and majestic. Everything in the room was blown around by this weird warm wave, until Cantirena sat back up with a very confused look on her face.

"Hey, Canti," Clarisse said. "How are you feeling?"

Cantirena shrugged. "How am I _supposed_ to feel?"

Minwu waved at her from the end of the bed.

"Teacher!" she said with a smile. "I… I… for some reason I feel like I've been missing you a lot lately." She got up and threw herself at Minwu, wrapping her arms around him. "Oh how I've missed you, Lord Minwu…"

"My child, the feeling is more than mutual," Minwu said gently. "I've missed you, too." He kissed her forehead, noticing that the purple gem was completely gone. "More than anyone I've ever known my entire life." He hugged her tightly. "I don't want to let go of you, ever."

"That's okay," Cantirena said. "I could stay with you forever. You wouldn't have a single complaint from me."

With that, Clarisse and Candice joined in the hug, too. They all laughed and smiled together, at least for that moment.

…

Mateus was sitting on his throne, eating the cheesecake that the asked for earlier, when he felt something missing. He stood up and threw the plate on the floor in anger. The chef who made the cake came running in.

"Your Imperial Highness," the chef said. "Were…. Were you dissatisfied, my liege?"

The Emperor glared at him. "The cake was marvelous, but I still have a bitter taste in my mouth." He shot a bolt of lightning from his hand at the chef, leaving the man dead. "I want an airship prepared to depart immediately!"

The Demon King's voice came through Mateus' mind.

"_What has happened to my bride, Mateus?"_

"Your powers have left her. I have no idea where she is now!"

"_Just as I feared… Minwu must have found a way to break my darkness…"_

"That mage has been a thorn in my side for _far, __**far**_ too long…" Mateus said, stomping out of his throne room. "All free hands, attend me! We must find the Empress! Rebels have captured her and are holding her against her will!"

_**END CHAPTER FOUR**_


	40. Ch 5, part 1

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

_**CHAPTER FIVE BEGINS**_

Part 1

Everyone in the rebel base rejoiced with Minwu. It was the best thing that happened to the rebels in a long time, and it gave many others hopes that victory would be achieved in the end. Princess Hilda decided it was a good idea to let them have as big of a banquet as they could manage, and everyone from town, including Master Tobul and his granddaughter Krystal, were there. The rebels partied and drank as if the war was over, though Cantirena was the only one who sat there staring into her bowl of stew. She wasn't really sure as to why they were celebrating in the first place.

"Hey," Krystal said, sitting next to Cantirena. "Do you remember me?"

"…I think you're from Fynn," Cantirena said. "…right?"

"That's right. I came here to live with my Grandpa after… after what happened there." Krystal put her hand on Cantirena's shoulder. "My name is Krystal. And… well, to welcome you back home, I want to forge you a weapon!"

"I don't use weaponry," Cantirena said. "I fight with magic."

"Minwu fights with magic and he has a staff," Krystal said. "So come on. Maybe there's a weapon you want to learn, but you never have?"

She thought about it for a few minutes. "I… I've never thought about it before. I always hold my spellbooks and just use the power from my body…" The more Cantirena tried to think about how she would fight, the more she felt like she had been fighting. She could feel the powers right there, at the tips of her fingers. She could shoot of magic at any time she wanted. It made her feel very apprehensive. She winced in pain for a moment. What was that trigger feeling? Where did it come from? …and what's worse, why did it feel _familiar_?

Minwu was sitting on her other side. "My child, is something the matter?"

"I… don't like this feeling," she answered.

"What is it?"

"…I feel like I'm about to start casting spells at everyone in the whole building. Or… like I have before," Cantirena said, closing her eyes. "Everyone falls at the might of my magic. Even if they scream and beg for mercy, they do not escape."

Minwu put her hands in his. "Calm down," he said very soothingly. "You're not going to kill everyone in here, are you? Heavens, no! You're still recovering, so at times you're not going to feel much like yourself."

_Is she having flashbacks?_ Minwu thought. _Perhaps unlocking her memories of before being in the Palamecian castle was not exactly the __**best **__thing to do…_

"Krystal, now may not be a good time to talk about weapons or fighting," Minwu said, trying to be kind to the girl. She did only mean well. "Here. Instead of making her a weapon, make her a beautiful accessory instead. One that will make her feel stronger in her time of need."

Krystal's eyes grew brighter upon hearing that. She hugged around Cantirena and went over to another table, drawing on a piece of paper that just happened to be there. Just hearing Minwu's encouragement, she felt inspired to make the best accessory she could design. If Cantirena needed to feel stronger, she was going to help with that effort.

Cid stood up from where he was sitting, which was between Firion and Candice, and walked up to Minwu. "You think this is a good time, now that Cantirena's awake?" he asked. "We have everyone here, we might as well get it done now."

"Wait until the party dies down a bit, Cid," Minwu said, giving Cid a can't-you-grow-some-damn-patience sort of expression.

"If you haven't noticed, Minwu, the only people left right now are the closest ones to us. There's Paul, Candice, Clarisse, Firion, Prince Gordon, Princess Hilda, you, me, Cantirena, and the little girl from the weapons shop across the street," Cid said, pointing around the room. "If we lock up the door, we won't have any other visitors."

"…fine," Minwu grunted.

"Excuse me," Cid said to Krystal. "You gonna be staying here tonight, missy, or are you gonna head on home?"

Krystal looked up from her paper. "Can I stay?"

"If you wish, then yes, you may," Princess Hilda answered from her throne. "I know there is an extra bed. You have been very helpful to the rebellion, even at your young age. We consider you a true member of our ranks."

"Really?" Krystal asked. "Wow, Princess! You're making me feel really special!"

"Everyone who helps in times like these should feel special," Gordon said from another makeshift throne which must have just been put up recently. "Because only the bravest hearts will rise up in the face of desperation like you have. Please, Krystal, sit with the others. I believe we have something very important to discuss. Cid, lock the doors of the main hall and of this one."

"Aye," Cid said, walking back to do just that. Krystal took an empty spot right next to Clarisse, looking directly at the princess. If she was going to be considered a true member of the rebellion, she felt like she should damn well act the part.

"Minwu, if you would," Hilda said, nodding in the direction of the royal mage.

Minwu let go of Cantirena's hands and stood up, walking into the center of the room. "I am glad that you all gathered around to celebrate my student coming home," he said. "But while we have had our party tonight, our war is far from being over. I have had the privilege of reading a very rare book on Palamecian history, and I believe that what it describes is true. I have seen the 'Mark of Ascension'. I know that it corrupts memories first hand. But I also know that we can be rid of this dark magic with the powers that were left to us by the Goddess herself." He then walked over to a book case where Princess Hilda had the book of legends put away. "In this text here, it describes three gifts given to the world by the Goddess when faced with world-destroying power. Three gifts, that come in the form of three dark blue haired girls." He looked at Cantirena, then Clarisse, then Candice.

"Wait, what?" Candice asked. "…_**Dad**_?"

Cid nodded. "I'm afraid I believe it's true, too. The reason you don't have a mother is because I found you out in the woods behind Fynn castle. You were all alone in the world, covered in scrapes and bruises. I… took you home with me to Poft, where I raised you as my daughter."

"But what about…" Clarisse started. "We had parents! Canti and I had a mother and a father!"

"You were adopted, just like Firion was," Minwu answered. "While you were not to be told until you came of age by your parents, neither Sumia or Frederick are here to tell you themselves. They confided in me one night after both of you had gone to bed. They didn't know Cantirena was going to have magical abilities, because neither of them were mages. They didn't know what to expect from either of you." He looked over at Cantirena, who looked like she was in tears just from hearing all of this. "…and I would have no trouble believing that the Emperor came to Fynn to find them. Servants of the Goddess are who sealed the Demon King Iluia away within a stone. If he is indeed possessed by the Demon King, then it would make sense for him to want to capture or kill anyone so closely associated with the Goddess."

"…the stone…" Cantirena said, shaking her head.

"You know of it?" Minwu asked, rushing back to her side.

She nodded. "I… have seen it. The darkness of that thing… is unbelievable." She shuddered at remembering it. Her head started to ache. Just remembering that stone made her tremble in fear. "It surges with the most terrible evil. The power is so strong that… I can feel it, even from here. Once you feel it, you will never, ever forget it."

"You can feel it?"

"Not just that…" Cantirena said carefully. "I can tell you that the power… is coming here. And it's not the stone that approaches."

"What is it?" Minwu asked.

"…the man who carries the power of the stone," she whispered. "He's coming. For _me_. Right now…"

Hilda stood up. "Then we must act! Now!"

"The book describes away that is thought to be a way to defeat the Stone of Iluia," Minwu said. "To do it, I must go to Mysidia."

"Fine, you do that, Minwu." Hilda said loudly. "Firion, I want you to form a party to investigate the land of Deist for me. Go to Poft and catch a boat that will take you south. I need you to go and check on the Dragoons. I fear for them, as their powers are great in combat. The Emperor may target them, so I want you to warn them."

Firion stood up immediately. "I will go to Deist!"

"Cid, take Minwu to Mysidia at once."

"You can't do that," Minwu said. "There is a forcefield around Mysidia's borders which keeps out machinery. We will walk."

Gordon then got out of his chair. "I will accompany Firion. They may be more receptive to a group on a ship if we have someone there who is acting as a leader."

"Fair enough," Hilda said, shrugging. "Cid, I don't know if you'll be able to fly to Deist or not, but I want you to accompany Firion in his assignment."

"Will do, Princess," Cid said. "C'mon, boys, I'll take ya to Poft. We'll catch a ship over there."

Clarisse looked at Cantirena. "I will go with my sister. I must make sure she is protected at all costs."

"…I'll go with them, too," Candice said. "If we're supposed to be more powerful together, then we will stay together."

"I accept that," Hilda agreed. "Minwu, it looks like you'll have a bit of assistance. I hope you don't mind."

"As long as they don't mind the walk, we will be fine," Minwu said, helping Cantirena to her feet. "Come, my child, I wish to take you to my home. I am certain that without a shadow of a doubt, you will be very safe there."

"I am not sure if anything will stop the Emperor from coming," Cantirena said.

"I will protect you," Minwu promised, hugging around her. "I will protect you until the end of my days."


	41. Ch 5, part 2

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 2

Mateus had a smaller airship to call his own, but it didn't matter. He was ready to destroy anyone who thought to displease the Demon King, who was starting to give Mateus massive headaches for letting his pretty little toy get away from his possession. The Emperor walked on the deck of the ship, watching the skies. It was nighttime, so there wasn't much to see. At this rate, he was going to destroy anything he saw move.

"There's an airship lifting off from Altair," a guard said from nearby.

"Cid…" he muttered, "The only other person in this world with an airship." He grinned. "Well, what are you waiting for? Shoot it _down_."

"Yes, sire!" the guard shouted. "All hands to your stations. Open fire on the airship ahead. I repeat, open fire!"

Mateus walked to the front of the ship, watching closely. The guns on his airship shot out, making a loud, repetitive, rat-tat-tat-tat-tat sound that he was not very fond of, but he dealt with it none-the-less. The ship in front was hit in the rudder and a part of the back of the hull, which meant that no matter what they tried to do, they were going to crash.

"Struggle, rebels," Mateus said as he laughed. "All you had to do was accept me as your ruler. It wasn't that difficult. I believe it would have been the much easier option." He flicked a part of his hair away from his face for a moment. "You should _rejoice_. You have to struggle no longer. I am a very merciful man."

Smoke came out of the airship ahead and fire burst out of nowhere. The Emperor could hear three men yelling back and forth about trying to land without crashing. They were still determined to survive? Even after everything, they were more persistent than cockroaches. Mateus hated cockroaches.

"We'll be _fine_!" a voice shouted from the other airship. "As long as he focuses on _us_, it's all good, kids!"

_What?_ Mateus thought. _Cid is not the __**only**__ target? _

He looked around. There was nothing else in the sky, and that yellow airship in front of them was going down quickly. Then he tried to look at the ground, but there was nothing to see. Even with the lights on, there was nothing but a still damaged Altair from a while ago. The trees seemed to yield nothing but birds as they flew over the woods.

_I love a good hunt,_ Mateus thought. _But give me something to start with, little mice. A scent, perhaps?_

Suddenly, there was a blast of fire not far from Altair.

_Hmm! Ask and you shall receive… I can live with that._

Mateus turned to the people onboard his ship. "Chase after that fire. I want to see what caused it."

…

Minwu couldn't believe what Cantirena had done. Sure, they were surrounded on all sides by a large pack of goblins, but she didn't _have_ to use a Firaga to clear the area in one fell swoop. Candice and Clarisse were more than capable of taking them out, no matter how slowly they were doing it. When Cantirena turned to look at him, he was in the middle of a facepalm.

"My child…" he groaned "…what were you _thinking_?"

"I wanted to help," Cantirena smiled. "So I blew them all up with a big fire spell. I thought maybe you'd be proud of my progress, Teacher."

"But, uhh, Canti? You could have just blown our cover," Clarisse said. "We're trying to escape without being seen, remember?"

"Now is not the time for a test, Cantirena," Minwu said, pointing ahead. "We have to get to Mysidia as quickly as possible. For _your_ sake."

"Then what are we doing, standing around here jabbering?" Candice said, yanking onto both Cantirena and Minwu's arms. "Just keep going. If we don't give that tyrant a chance to catch up with us, then we'll be good as gold."

All four of them could hear the rush of propellers nearby. There were some lights coming from above. That was an airship and it was coming closer.

"You think it's Dad?" Candice asked very quietly.

"No… Cid was headed in the other direction, towards the east…" Minwu whispered.

"Besides," Cantirena said, "Cid's airship is yellow. That one is not." She sounded sort of proud of herself for remembering something that should have been easy for Candice to recall, since she was Cid's daughter and all.

Clarisse threw her arms around Cantirena and made her duck into the shadows, while Minwu and Candice headed under another bush. They could hear the airship was right above them.

"Thanks a lot, Canti… you gave them something to track," Clarisse whispered into her little sister's ear. "At this rate, you're going to _give_ us away!"

"So will you if you don't stop complaining," Cantirena whispered back.

Minwu could feel a surge of evil coming from that ship. If his senses were correct, the Emperor himself was on it. He looked up. They were not flying forward anymore. It almost looked as if they were about to land.

They all knew it was him for certain, when they could hear his voice directly after the airship landed in a clearing that was close by.

"Search the area. Bring whoever you find directly to _me_. I want to know where that explosion came from." Mateus' voice was unmistakable.

"Yes, sire!" a group of soldiers said all at once before dispersing into the woods.

Minwu couldn't believe his rotten luck. He wasn't going to make it very far like this. There really wasn't much he could do. After giving Candice a signal, he ran over to Clarisse and Cantirena, lifting them both up to show them that he was ready to run. They headed back into the dense part of the woods. He was going to take a different route to hopefully avoid being caught.

Candice was the quickest on her feet, and she ran ahead of everybody. On the other side of the woods was a marshland. When she got there, she waited for the others to show up. Clarisse came out next, turning to see where Minwu and Cantirena were. She waited and waited, getting more nervous as the seconds ticked by. Every second felt like an eternity.

Cantirena tripped over a branch somewhere between Minwu and Clarisse while running. She landed with an "oof" kind of sound. Her leg hurt so bad she was having a hard time getting back up.

"Did you hear that?"

"It came from over there."

Minwu reached the marsh on the other side of the wood, noticing that Clarisse and Candice were standing next to each other. He didn't see Cantirena at all and flew into a panic, running back into the woods. He found her face down in the dirt. He could hear the steps of those on patrol very close by.

"My child, you must come with me," Minwu whispered, trying to pull her up. "Try to move faster."

"It's my foot," she said. "I tripped."

"You always were a clumsy girl," Minwu said, lifting her off her feet.

The guards stepped onto the path.

"Hold it right there!" one said loudly. "You're in the custody of His Imperial Majesty, the Emperor of Palamecia! We won't hurt you. Come with us peacefully."

Minwu turned to face them. "Like _hell_ I will," he hissed at them, instantly releasing a bright ball of light from his left hand. "Wrath of the angels! _**HOLY**_!" With both of them on the ground, he ran out of there as quickly as he could, carrying Cantirena.

_I just… broke… my vow… to never cast a harmful spell at another living person…_ Minwu thought, having a hard time believing that he actually did it without hesitation. _But I… had no choice. I was not going to lose my student to the Emperor a second time… _he felt Cantirena grip around his neck. _Vows or not, I had a perfectly good reason to do it. My Cantirena is akin to a daughter and there's nothing… nothing that would stop me from protecting her._

When Minwu came out of the forest and into the marshland, both Clarisse and Candice let out sighs of relief. Minwu caught up to them and, they all ran as far west as their feet could possibly carry them.


	42. Ch 5, part 3

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 3

Mateus waited patiently. He was there for maybe half an hour or so before his troops came back saying they'd found nothing. All but two of them came back. It took another twenty minutes to find the missing troops were dead near the exit of the forest that lead to the marshlands out west.

_So that's where that surge of power came from_, he thought, looking at the dead dark knights on the ground. _There's nothing that way except the marshes… unless they're heading for the Magic Kingdom, Mysidia._ _The spell was something only a holy man could cast._ A few moments later, he smiled again. The thought only made him happy. _Minwu, have I found you escorting my beloved to your __**homeland**__?_

"This will prove more interesting than I could have hoped for," the Emperor said cheerfully.

_I will even give you a head start! Go! Flee to your heart's content. If I know where you are going, it will take even less effort to __**find**__ you when I am ready, _Mateus thought. _Keep her safe for me, Minwu. She needs an awful lot of protection from… __**evil**__, shall we say._

He then called to all of the Dark Knights. "Come. We make for the island nation, Deist. We've been _expected_ by the captain of the Dragoons and I'm not the type to keep an appointment waiting. I would love to arrive before breakfast time. I hear Deist's tea is magnificent." He walked back to the airship and prepared to board. It was going to be a wonderful day. Mateus was ready to seize everything that was coming to him. Victory was right in his grasp.

_And victory… is so sweet._

…

Cid managed to pull Gordon and Firion out of the wreckage. They crashed only a short distance from Paloom, but considering that Paloom wasn't much but a skid mark on the world now, they were going to have to hike all the way to Poft. Firion remembered that Poft was also nothing but a pile of rubble, so they had no idea what to do to get to Deist like they were told.

"Damn it all," Cid said as he looked at his crashed ship. It still had smoke coming out of the engine. Wood chunks, metal, even the liquid Sunfire that powered the engine was everywhere. "There's another down at the hands of the Empire."

"What were they doing in the air at this hour?" Gordon asked. "It wasn't equipped well to fly at night. There were not very many lights." He brushed himself off and straightened out his ponytail while waiting for the other two to decide what to do from here.

"Well, Canti said it herself that the Emperor was coming for her," Firion answered. "He might have thought that she was on your ship, Cid." He looked around. The sun still had a few hours left before making its debut for the day.

"Even though she's with Minwu… on foot," Cid said. It hit him really hard, considering Candice went with Minwu's party.

"Oh _shit_," Firion gasped. "Which way did that ship _go_?!"

No one had to answer, because as soon as he asked that question, the skies gave him an answer. The same ship that shot them out of the air was heading south, in the direction that they were _supposed_ to be going. Even in the dark, it was impossible to mistake that for something else.

Gordon felt his courage slip from under him for a moment. "You don't think it's headed for…"

"…Deist?" Cid asked. "Yes. I'm pretty sure it is."

"For the sake of all things sacred, can't we do _anything_ right?" Firion asked, kicking the dirt below his feet. "Seven Hells, _**what**_ the _**fuck **_are we supposed to do?! Both ports are destroyed and because of that, there's not going to be any ships going _anywhere_ and, on top of all of that, the place we've been assigned to go is going to get destroyed before we even have a chance to _get there_!"

"I'm not sure if that's better or worse than if he chased after Minwu and the girls," Cid said, frowning slightly.

"I don't either," Gordon said, shaking his head. "What… should we do…?"

"Head back to Altair and regroup with Hilda," Cid said. "That's all I can think of."

"…maybe someone's gone back to one of the ports," Firion suggested, pointing that way. "Maybe we should check there first before we give up. She really wants us to find the Dragoons and meet up with them…"

"We check Paloom and see if we can find anybody there, but if we don't, we head back to Altair," Cid said, starting to walk. "Let's go. I can't stand just waiting around like this."

"Agreed. Let's actually just do something," Gordon said with a nod. "Let's just… let's just go…"

…

"There's nothing but marsh out here," Candice said. "We've done nothing but run since we barely escaped the Emperor's ship, and I see absolutely nothing but fucking marshes." She was visibly disgusted by the lay of the land and by how many monsters she had to cut up with her twin daggers. Every time she stepped in mud, she wanted to kick something to relieve her frustration. "Minwu, are you sure we're going the right way?"

"Yes," Minwu answered. He was in the back with Cantirena. She was walking on her own just fine, and even though her skirt was getting smudged up, she didn't seem to mind that much. She was keeping right at Minwu's side. He may have been watching the land, and the monsters, but he never once let his attention wander from Cantirena. "Past the vast marshlands is a mountain range which winds within itself, and in there, you will find the jungle which hides the magic kingdom of Mysidia."

"And we're going to hike the entire way?" Candice asked.

"You were the one who said you wanted to come with us," Clarisse said, slicing up a goblin. "You knew what you were in for."

"Next hut we see, let's ask if they have chocobos," Candice suggested. "I think it would make traveling a lot easier."

"That is a very good suggestion," Minwu said. "Though chocobos cannot climb mountains. It would only make crossing the marshland easier, and that's the easiest part of the trip. Not only that, but chocobos are not native of the western part of the world. They are secluded to the forests surrounding Kashuon, and I'm not sure if many survived the massacre of Kashuon…"

"Teacher," Cantirena pulled on the part of the cape where it draped over his shoulder. He turned slightly to look at her. "Did you have to walk all this way when you came to Fynn?"

"I did." Minwu explained it as he kept walking. "It is a part of our training. Every mage is expected to make the trek from inside the Mysidian country to the outside world and find work there. While we are on the outside and working, we find a student, and we have to make the journey back in with our trained student to introduce them to the Mysidian society and the Circle of Mages."

"…does this mean that you're taking me to Mysidia because you want me to join them?" she asked. "Because you want me to join their… society?"

"No," Minwu said gently. "I'm afraid I can't do that."

"What? But… but I'm your student!" Cantirena said. "…wait! Am I not good enough to join the Mysidian society? I've failed you, haven't I?!"

Minwu put his hand on her head, which was his favorite way of showing her affection. "You are the best student I could ever hope for, Cantirena. It's not because of you that I cannot introduce you to the Circle of Mages. It's because of _me_. I'm a failure of the Mysidian way."

"You're a failure?" Clarisse asked in total disbelief. "The Great White Mage Minwu, the pride of Fynn, is a _failure_?"

"There is nothing great about me," Minwu whispered, "Absolutely nothing."

"You lie," Cantirena said, hugging Minwu again. "You're a great teacher. Take it from your student first hand. No one is more patient and willing to explain more than you. I'm lucky to know you and have you for my own teacher, Lord Minwu."

"You are too kind on me," Minwu said, returning her gesture. "If it were not for the necessity, I would not be going back to Mysidia now."

"Do you need something from there?" Candice asked.

"I need to go and confirm what I've read in the text Paul brought back with him from Palamecia," Minwu said, continuing to walk, "Because if it _is_ true, then to save this world, we're going to need something that can only be found in Mysidia."

"What is it?"

"A symbol of Cosmos: a crystal."

Cantirena kept up with Minwu. "What's the crystal for? What is it? What does it do? Why do we need it?"

"You never stop asking questions, do you?" Minwu said with a slight chuckle. "Oh, my child, this is what makes you a wonderful student. If you keep asking questions, you will keep getting answers! Let me explain it this way. Do you remember that stone you spoke of? That evil stone in the Palamecia castle?"

"Yes. I wouldn't be able to forget anything like that."

"Well, a crystal is a stone full of the Goddess' power, which is capable of defeating any and all evil. It purifies darkness," Minwu said. "So if you're close to a crystal…"

"…then maybe the Emperor won't be able to take me again," Cantirena finished his sentence, while looking away.

Minwu nodded. "That's only one part of it," he said. "But, if we're able to find the stone again, and we're able to activate the crystal next to it, then we might even be able to destroy it and end this war once and for all. See, that book described how Palamecia the First was a brave hero who established his country to be a holy place for servants of the Goddess. He was given the stone the Demon King was sealed in, and his family was told to keep an eye on it to make sure the Demon King never was to be released. Problem is, every ruler who came in contact with it eventually came down with some kind of mental sickness… and I believe that sickness is the same thing that controls the current Emperor. When I met him as the prince, he was a very well mannered boy of promise."

"The prince?" Cantirena asked. "Yes. He was a truly wonderful person…"

Candice put her hands on her hips. "Uh oh."

"Uh oh, what?" Clarisse asked.

"I think… Canti, can I ask you a very personal question without you getting offended by it?" Candice asked, putting her hand on Cantirena's shoulder. "I want you to be honest with us, because I really think this is important."

"What are you talking about?" Minwu asked.

"Hold your chocobos," Candice said to Minwu. "Okay, Canti, listen. For a moment there, that look on your face… the way you spoke about the Emperor when he was still a prince… Cantirena, are you in love with him?"

Cantirena didn't want to hear anything about that. She shook her head and tried to scoot closer to Minwu. "Are you kidding? A village girl could never marry royalty," she tried to hide the fact that she was blushing.

_I didn't want to think of him again_, she thought, _but yes. I've always been in love with him._

"Well, that's troublesome," Clarisse said, continuing to walk. "But it does explain why you wouldn't shut up about meeting the most beautiful, kind prince in the whole entire world that evening after coming home."

"It's… the reason he let me live," Cantirena said. "Because of that meeting. Because we had talked. Because… he knew of my feelings before I even told him."

Minwu wasn't shocked to hear it, though it did make him a bit worried. "My child, are you saying that you went along with him willingly… because you were in love with the prince?"

Cantirena sighed. "After he showed who he was to me, I… I did not refuse any request of his until it was too late to fight back," she said, looking up at the sky. "Because I was determined to find him once I had completed Minwu's training. I was going to travel the world to find him again. To assist him the way… the way Minwu always assisted Princess Hilda. I told everyone in the village that I was going to study magic all around the world." She paused before she started walking again. "I lied. I lied to all of you."

"But after what you went through in Palamecia, surely you don't still love him," Candice said, kind of scared to hear that answer. "He sealed off your memories and turned you into a zombie, practically."

"…I want… to save him…" Cantirena said, feeling the winds blow around her gently. "Because the prince I met in Fynn that day was the most wonderful person I've ever met, and if we can get the darkness to leave him… maybe he'll turn back into the wonderful prince he was before. Even if I am not going to be his bride, I don't care. I want to save the prince who inspired me to make the world a better place no matter the cost, because I'm sure that's what his true self would want. So, I'm sorry, Lord Minwu. I am… so sorry."

Minwu put his arm around her shoulders. "You are my student to your very core," he said. "Because that is exactly what I would do, if I felt the way you do."


	43. Ch 5, part 4

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 4

Mateus was in a wonderful mood that morning as his airship was flying over the sea towards the solitary island nation of Deist. The sun was just starting to come up, even though he much preferred the calm pale moonlight. Both were in the sky at once, as if they were celebrating his arrival.

The island was a quaint place, with one large mountain that stood almost as tall as the one his castle was built into. That was known for being Dragon Mountain. Everyone around the world had heard of the place where dragons were known to breed and roam freely. The other distinguishing landmark was a very nice castle, where dragons stood guard day and night. Four great wyverns sat curled up asleep on the top of each of the four towers, and their heavily armored knights sitting on their backs, reclined as if they were asleep, too. The common folk lived inside the castle walls because, as everyone was aware, the dragons were not the only things that roamed Deist's island.

The Dragoons were knights mounted on the back of dragons, skilled with both spear and sword, which patrolled the island and kept it safe from all the monsters. They were a vast unit and very well trained. Every man born in Deist was expected to become a Dragoon and fight in the service of their country, as they were symbols of bravery, loyalty, and service to the greater good. Every man who became one had their honor tested by that of a baby Wyvern, and throughout the rest of their lives, they would become one in both fighting and mind.

"Dragoons," he mused, looking at them through the cockpit window. "One of the most powerful forces in our world today. I've heard the bonding process between the wyverns and the knights themselves happen to be quite _endearing_." Then he looked back at his crew. "We land. Prepare to attack."

"Your Imperial Majesty," one of the guards said suddenly. "Did… did we not…?"

Mateus looked at the guard who bore a quizzical look on his face. "Yes? Does something _trouble_ you?"

The guard nodded.

"Well, then, spit it _out_," the Emperor said, heading out the cockpit, "Before I _kill_ you for wasting my time."

"Deist is a sacred place, sire. It is the only land where dragons live," the guard said. "Perhaps we could learn to tame them ourselves from the knights instead of having to… kill them all. It would be a great asset to the Empire."

"Hmm, yes," Mateus nodded as he walked out of the cockpit. "We will let _one_ live, so that he may be able to pass on this power to our cause. The rest can easily be _disposed _of. So, young man, I will let you choose the one we keep. When you find the knight you approve of, please… bring him to _me_."

The guard looked down at the floor. Who could make such a choice, to pick one person out of an entire nation not to get slaughtered? He wasn't sure what to do. He soon followed after the Emperor.

_Hilda… where __**are**__ the rebels?_ He thought worriedly. _We can't afford to lose the Dragoons to this madman!_

…

"How long have we been walking?" Clarisse asked, looking over to see that Cantirena had barely any strength left in her. "Minwu, I don't _care_ if the sun is on its way up. We need a break."

Candice agreed. Her feet ached terribly. The boots she wore were not good for walking long distances, and certainly not through muddy marshes full of meddling monsters. "I concur with this idea. It's pretty clear that if the Emperor wanted to catch up to us, he probably would have by now," she said looking up at the sky. The nighttime was fading away, and the sun was coming up in the east. The sky was a lovely purple color, and the moon was still in plain sight. "So we're in the clear."

Minwu agreed to that, reaching into his bag, which just happened to be his very useful Item Pouch. "All right. Find a decent dry spot and we'll set up camp," he said, looking around at the land. The marshes were flat. They'd gone so far they couldn't see the forest where they were almost caught, and they were nowhere near the winding mountain range. There was nothing else but the marsh. No trees. No hills. Just mud. He pulled out two large cloth rolls. "I brought two tents."

"Brought?" Cantirena asked, looking inside his bag without even asking if she could. "Did you bring any food, too?"

"As a matter of fact, I did," Minwu said, "Because I know how you are." He put his finger right up against her nose. "Now get out of my satchel before I send you do bed with no supper."

"…no matter what happens, you're still my teacher," Cantirena said, backing off. She took one end of the tent cloth while Clarisse took the other. "So how do we set this up, anyway?"

"It's very simple," Minwu said, taking the extra. "Follow my lead." He turned to face the wind and threw the cloth upward so it would catch the wind. A few seconds later, the cloth expanded magically with a very loud 'boin-thwip' sound before landing on the ground in the perfect tent shape. "Candice, take the spikes from my satchel. Make sure it's secure."

"I'm on it," Candice said, reaching into the bag. She found eight different spikes, taking four of them to put the four corners of the tent all ready up in a position that would hold.

"Hey," Cantirena grunted. "I'm your student! Why can't I get into the bag?"

"You can," Minwu said. "You just didn't ask for permission first."

Clarisse giggled at that. "Ha! Minwu gotcha there, little sis!"

"Stuff it," Cantirena said, snatching the tent from her big sister and facing the wind. "I don't want your help if you're going to be an ass about things."

"I don't think you _can_ set that up alone," Minwu said, walking over to her.

"Are you kidding?" Cantirena asked, throwing it up into the air. She then activated her magic and made the wind fly into the cloth the way she wanted, causing the tent to 'boin-thwip' in the same way the other one did. "I think you've underestimated you student, Lord Minwu."

"Cantirena…" Minwu said it in a way that made her feel like she was being scolded. "A part of a mage's training is learning when it is appropriate to use her magic and when it is not appropriate. You really are showing off a bit much."

"I wasn't showing off, teacher…"

"Using a full-blown Firaga to destroy a few goblins that would be easy to defeat with a simple hit on the head with a bamboo staff was showing _off_, my child," Minwu said very sternly. "Go inside the tent. We'll talk about your punishment later."

"Punishment?!" Cantirena asked in disbelief. "I just wanted to show you how much I've improved! I thought I-

"…go," Minwu said, pointing to the tent. "Sit inside until I come to you."

Cantirena felt like the scum of the earth as she went inside the tent. She sat in the center cross-legged, her arms crossed on top of them. All she wanted to do was help, and all she got was scolded. That was pretty unfair. At least, it was to her.

Clarisse was confused by that. "You've never actually grounded her before," she said. "You're typically the first person to tell her what a great job she's done. Minwu, do you think that might be a little harsh?"

"For a moment, I felt like I was someone else," Minwu said, shaking his head. "I am reminded of my own teacher, and… well, that is a story best left in the past."

"You had a strict teacher?" Candice asked. She was trying to start a fire between the two tents, but there wasn't any wood around. There weren't any rocks to make a ring to keep the fire in anyway. How was anyone supposed to cook any food if there was no way to make a fire?

"That is putting it… delicately," Minwu said. "Candice, do you need help?"

"I wanted to start a fire…" she said.

Cantirena stuck her hand out of the tent and shot a stream of fire right at Candice's foot. "No need to stress over that," she said. The fire burned brightly, and Candice was able to set up the pot from Minwu's Item Pouch right over it.

"_Cantirena_!" Minwu yelled, making her head come out of the tent. "What… did I just… _tell_ you?"

"She couldn't make it by normal means, right?" Cantirena said. "Remember, knowing when it's appropriate to use magic is an important part of a mage's training."

For a moment, Minwu was able to react. Then he laughed, almost scaring everyone else there. "Get over here and eat, you smartass," he said, motioning for her to come out of the tent. "But, my child, you're still going to have to do exercises for showing off."

"But… but… Teacher!"

"No buts. You know that's not what magic is for."

A few hours later, once everyone was fed and ready to rest, Cantirena didn't have to be told to go back to her tent. She curled up in the cot that Minwu had made for her underneath the beautiful tartan tent. It was Mysidian for sure. There was no other pattern like that in the world. The sheet she was laying on was also made of a similar material, but it had no pattern. It was just a single white sheet, sat upon some sort of padding. What Minwu told her was that this was a traditional bed in his homeland, that they would carry the bedding wherever they went. The way the outside world handled bedding confused him at first, making such big beds that could no go anywhere with the owners made him wonder how they ever slept if they needed to be on a quest. But, then again, questing was an important part of Mysidian culture.

She snuggled into that sheet, so gracious for it even being there. She loved how it felt against her skin, how it smelled. Cantirena believed that this bed was heaven, even if it wasn't what she was used to sleeping in. She wrapped herself in it, almost feeling like Minwu himself was there with her, with his arms wrapped around her. No matter where she was or what she was doing, if Minwu was there, she was safe.

The flap of the tent opened, and Minwu walked into the tent. "The other two are sharing the other tent," he said very quietly. He buttoned the flap of the tent so it would stay closed no matter what happened in the night, and he sat down next to a small lantern with a book in his hand. "So, get a good rest, my student."

It seemed weird to her at first that he didn't refer to her like he normally did with 'my child'. She didn't want to pay attention to it much though. She was too relaxed to make any complaint. Everything was perfect. So very perfect. She closed her eyes for a split second, but suddenly felt warmth at her side. When she opened them again, she found Minwu had come right up to her, right up against her.

"Teacher," she said softly. "I didn't think you were ready to sleep yet."

"I'm _not_," he whispered into her ear. "But I wanted to be _close_ to you. After you were gone, I remembered all the times you spent sleeping against me in the castle study. I almost forgot what it was like to sleep next to any warmth at all." Minwu pulled the sheet away, slowly running his hand on the side of her body. "You have grown so much…"

"Lord Minwu," Cantirena said worriedly, "Perhaps you should not be so close." She rolled over to face him, to look at him in his beautiful dark brown eyes. "You're making me…"

"Making you…?" he asked, putting his other hand against her cheek.

"You're making me want you," she said honestly. The last time Cantirena had been that close to anyone, it was when the Emperor Mateus had her pinned in his bed, and being that close ignited that drive again. Just having a body there made the feeling surge through her body. Even though it was her teacher, one of the people she's known the longest and practically she saw as a father-figure, she found herself wanting him to continue with that closeness. To get closer. Perhaps closer than skin could allow, if only she had the chance. "And I know how wrong that is of me, but I-"

Minwu pulled her chin down, leading her into a kiss. Even though he was still wearing that white cloth mask, she could feel his lips through it. After the first, he pulled down his mask, then went in for a second. This time, his lips led her along, pulling her into kiss through kiss. She went with it, soon placing her hand on the nape of his neck. The more they kissed, soon, their tongues became involved, rubbing up against each other as if they were making love themselves.

When Minwu pulled away, his hands slowly moved up and down her hips. "How wrong is it? When you know someone as long as we have, when we have a desire unfulfilled, shouldn't _we_ be the ones to keep each other happy?" he asked her. "I would do _anything_ for you."

Anything? Cantirena was taken aback by this, but she didn't want to stop where it was. Just by being this close together, and having marvelous kiss after marvelous kiss from him, she wasn't sure what to do. Should she ask him to… touch her? To make love to her? If it was Mateus, she wouldn't have hesitated at all. He wasn't her teacher. He wasn't her guardian. But with Minwu, she really had to think about it.

"You're my teacher," she whispered. "I couldn't-"

"Tonight, if you wish," Minwu said, pulling her closer. He could feel her breasts squished against his chest, even under her robe. "I will give you a secret lesson."

Oh, that put her over the edge. Feeling his heartbeat right up against hers like that set her off. "If that secret lesson involves anything remotely involving textbooks or scrolls, I'm going to have to say no," she said, "But if you're going to _give_ me a lesson, Lord Minwu, please, by all means… teach me." With her other hand, she traced down his belly which was exposed by his breastplate, using just her finger. It went down, down, down, until it was below his belt. "_**Give**_me a lesson, my teacher…" She knew she was wet by then, but when she put her hands below his belt, she could tell that he wanted it just as much as she did. Minwu was being very serious about this.

Minwu smiled at her directly. "I will never, ever hurt you," he said, moving his hands down from her hips to her butt, pulling that part of her body right up against his. "I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if I ever hurt you."

"You can't hurt me," Cantirena said, letting him kiss her again. "I believe it's physically impossible for my beloved Lord Minwu to ever hurt me."

He reached behind her robe, starting to untie the strings that held her skirt up to the metal that rested right below her breasts. The cloth untied rather easily and slipped off with no real effort at all. Now all that kept him out of the lower regions was just a little piece of underwear. He put his hand inside, feeling her lovely little rump. Minwu turned his face slightly, so that he could reach her ear with his mouth when he leaned forward again. "_Your _beloved Minwu…?" he asked, his breath falling right upon her ear. "Just as you are _my_ little Cantirena, my precious student. You are mine as I am yours, from now until the end of time."

"Is… it customary in Mysidian culture to… make love to one's student?" she asked as she spread her legs enough to let Minwu's crotch come that much closer.

"While making love is taboo in general," Minwu said, unlocking his belt so that the bottom part of his robe would come off, "I know of one particular relationship that was kept in the shadows. The drive was too much to resist. A teacher was going to break his vow of purity, and before he could let it get out of control, his student was the one to intervene and give him his release, so that he would not break his vow. If it comes to that, then, yes, it is the student's job to release their teacher as part of the unspoken contract between them. Many parts of the relationship are kept secret from the rest of the world, naturally." He slid it off, becoming fully exposed in the process. Cantirena was very surprised to learn that Minwu never wore any kind of underwear under his robes. "The world knows that we have a relationship. That I am your teacher and you are my student. In the world outside of Mysidia, it is very common for a student to be given the title of apprentice. You study under me, you receive the lessons that I have received in the past…" Minwu slid between her legs, right until the tip of his hardened lovestick touched the lips of her wet, soft pocket of deposit. "…and I am _sure_ that there have been plenty of teachers attracted to their fully grown students."

Cantirena didn't wait for him. She pushed herself to open for him, and it slid in smoothly. She didn't wince or shudder. Unlike when Mateus entered her, this didn't hurt. She reached around his neck with both hands. It made her moan just a little, feeling him push himself in as far as he could go. "What about your… vow of purity?" she asked. "Isn't this breaking-"

Minwu placed a finger on her lip delicately, interrupting her words abruptly. "Before I even wore the white robes the first time and took the vows within the Circle of Mages," he said, "My purity was taken from me. My teacher took it from me... forcibly." As he started to thrust inside Cantirena, he could remember how much it hurt the night his teacher cornered him and made it impossible to escape. That was the last time he had done anything remotely sexual until this night. "After he did that, I immediately applied for graduation within Mysidia's testing purposes, just to be away from him… I never wanted to even touch or see another naked body…" He gently used his lips to nibble on her ear, making her moan come out to where he could hear it. "But… _my_ little Cantirena, _my_ little student… she needs release of her own… so I come to you, ready to give you that release you crave." His thrusts slowly became harder and deeper, slowly building their way to an ultimate climax for the both of them. "Because I couldn't _dare_ stand to see you in any sort of pain or longing. Not you. It hurt giving myself to my teacher when I was little more than a teenager. But… I enjoy making love to _you_, my student."

Cantirena gripped around his neck even tighter as they came closer to finishing. Minwu's thrusts were becoming much faster as he kept going. "Please," she gasped, "Don't stop…"

The ending came as what felt like a finale to end all finales. It was over in a flash, but neither of them were unsatisfied. Minwu released himself inside Cantirena, and she was in a state of euphoria that she could not quite put words to. It was much different than being with Mateus before. Minwu had indeed made _love_ to her. She could feel it.

He didn't bother putting his clothes back on. Instead he curled up closely to her, squeezing underneath the same sheet she had been lying in, and laid there next to her. He listened to her heartbeat until he drifted off to sleep in her arms. Cantirena could tell that Minwu needed that. He needed a healing sexual experience, after the one he had gone through in his childhood was so harsh to him. "My teacher…" she whispered. "If you need me at any time… I am yours." She gripped around him tightly as he was next to her, kissing his cheek before starting to feel herself drift to sleep. "…I almost wish… I could be _your_ bride, my… perfect… teacher."

After dozing off for what felt like only a few minutes, Cantirena woke back up only to find herself alone in the sheet on the cot. She looked around, finding Minwu sitting next to the little lantern. He was still reading the book he was looking at before, too.

"…is something the matter, my child?" Minwu asked, looking over at her. "You look a bit red in the face."

She shook her head. "No. Not at all, teacher… I… I just had a weird dream, that's all," she said, lying back down. "I'm fine… thank you."

"Thank me?" Minwu asked. "For what?"

"For… being _my_ teacher," she replied, snuggling back into the sheet. "I couldn't ask for anything more."

"…you could," Minwu said quietly, looking back at his book. "I'm sure whatever you wanted could be _given_ to you."


	44. Ch 5, part 5

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 5

Firion, Gordon, and Cid made their way to the rock pile that used to be Paloom. They hated themselves and their lack of ability to do anything. Sure, it wasn't _their_ fault that they weren't making it to Deist on time to help the Dragoons prepare for the attack, but they all felt like they were to blame somehow. The sun was up by now, bringing the tweeting birds in the nearby trees with it.

Firion couldn't help but wonder how his younger sisters were doing. Minwu was fully capable of protecting anyone, as that was his job as a white mage, but who knows what kind of trouble they could be getting into? Part of him wished he was assigned to give Minwu assistance instead of going to Deist. Besides that, he'd never been to Deist. How would he know what Deist was like? Why was _he_ the one who was put in charge of the mission? And why was Cid, of all people, told to assist him? Cid was the Wild Rose Rebellion's ferryman. Didn't people need to be taken places?

"Well, howdy there," a female voice called from the Paloom town gate. "Look who it is. I've not seen ya'll in a long time now."

"Hey," Firion said, cocking his head to the side. "I remember you…" He found the purple haired girl wearing the green bandanna who said she worked for Cid back when they were heading to Salamand some time ago.

"I'm sure ya do, what with how gorgeous I am and everything," the lady said, blowing him a kiss. Firion blushed, and Cid rolled his eyes. She looked at the three together, noticing that the party was completely different. She planned on getting her revenge on Minwu, but he wasn't there. And the girl was missing, too. "Hmm? You missin' somebody, sugar?"

"Missing someone?" Gordon asked. "Firion, who is this girl?"

"Now, now, don't cut in line, pretty boy," she said, leaning over at him. "You'll get your turn, blondie."

"Turn?" Gordon was flabbergasted.

Firion looked at Cid. "Don't you know her?"

Cid crossed his arms. "Lelia," he said, "Stop… _flirting_ with my companions."

Leila straightened herself back up, giving Cid a salute. "H-hey, boss! I didn't even see ya there."

"I'm sure you didn't," Cid grunted. "I'm traveling with two much younger men than myself who look much better than I do. You're not the type to try to go after men who are twice your age, now are you?" He gave her a very stern glare. This woman was well known among all the young men who served in his airship crew over the years. She _earned_ quite a bit of his coin through them.

"Go… after?" Gordon asked, wondering exactly what Cid was referring to.

"Oh, Prince Gordon…" Cid said, putting his hand on Gordon's shoulder. "Your innocence is certainly charming. So, Leila, what are you doing up here?"

"I saw an airship crash," Lelia answered. "I came to find out what was going on. Turns out, it's you, boss! Well, isn't that just _**hilarious**_!"

_This girl… she really seems to be overacting, _Gordon thought. _Like she's trying to cover something up…_

"I don't know," Cid said, putting his hands on his hips. "All right. Yours is the only ship we've got left, and my boys here are on an important assignment. I need you to take us to Deist."

"Ya really wanna head to that warzone, boss?" Leila asked, shocked to hear that. "That ship that attacked ya? That's where it went."

Cid glared at her again. "If you do it, I'll forgive your debt."

"All of it, boss?" Leila exclaimed.

"Yep," Cid said. "Take us to Deist."

"Done and done!" Leila said, jumping for joy. "After I drop your asses off on that dragon's nest of an island, I'm a free woman once again! Yeehaw!"

"No," Cid said very quietly. "You're going to stick with us as our ferry until this assignment is complete. _Then_ you'll be a free woman."

Leila's shoulders sank. She was a very expressive woman, if nothing else. "Oh all right, boss… I'll stick around until the assignment is complete…"

"Good," Cid said, looking at his two traveling companions. "So let's set sail, shall we?"

"Yes!" Gordon and Firion both said at the same time.

…

Cantirena woke up several times while trying to take her nap. Each time she felt a tad bit worse. What with that damn dream stuck in her head, she wasn't able to rest much at all. Every time she sat back up, Minwu looked over at her, unsure of what to think about the whole thing.

"Have you come down with something?" he asked, coming closer to her. "You've been tossing and turning quite a bit. You're beginning to worry me."

"No, no, Teacher, I'm-" she threw the sheet over her head.

_Please don't come over here right now… Please don't look at me… _

"Get out from under there," Minwu said, lifting the blanket up to see that Cantirena was staring at the cot beneath her. "You know it's bad to breathe in air from under… Cantirena? Are you listening to me?"

_Go away, teacher…_

"Something is troubling you," he said gently. "I am your teacher and guardian. The least you could do is be honest with me." When he put his hand on her, she shuddered and pulled away. He certainly didn't expect that reaction. Cantirena was always the type to be affectionate towards him. She had never once refused contact from him. "Cantirena…?"

"It's… it's nothing," she whispered. "Don't worry about me, I… I'll be fine."

"Your heart is racing. You're red in the face, maybe even a little feverish," Minwu said. "I don't want you to get sick, especially while we're traveling. Tell me what hurts. You've never had a problem with opening up to me before."

"You can't heal this," Cantirena answered.

"Sometimes, the best healing does not involve magic," Minwu said, reaching to touch her again. "I don't know what you went through while in the hands of the Empire. I don't know if you're having flashbacks of horrors you witnessed there…" He felt better when she let him put his hands on her back. Maybe he could talk to her to get her to talk about her feelings after all. "…or if the Demon King still has some connection to you, even after the power of the Goddess was able to free you from his grip? You've not talked about anything like that, but I know it still affects you."

"Lord Minwu, if only it were that simple," she replied. "If only… it were that simple, to just be flashbacks or my body feeling like it's trapped in that hell again…" A few moments passed before she said anything. "Can you do me a favor?"

"I'm sure I can…"

"Cast your sleeping spell on me," Cantirena said, looking back at him. "I need to sleep while we can, and… I'm afraid that my thoughts are keeping me awake."

"Now, Cantirena, remember about knowing the right time to use mag-"

She felt her eyes burning with tears. "Let me sleep a dreamless sleep, please. I don't want to hold anyone back while we're traveling. I don't want to be the weakest link in the team anymore. These thoughts are driving me crazy. The things I've thought. It's torture." Her tears glided down her cheeks, dripping off at the end. "Cosmos help me…"

Minwu wiped off her tears with his hands. "I'm afraid that only She can at this point. Like I've failed you in more ways than one," he whispered. "I'm so sorry, my student. I should have gone back for you myself during the attack on Fynn." As he pulled her closer, he reluctantly cast his sleeping spell on her, watching her go from a sad, desperate face to one of an emotionless sleep. Her head landed on his leg, and he put his hand in her hair. "Forgive me. I hope you find reprieve in your rest."


	45. Ch 5, part 6

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 6

Leila had a very satisfied grin on her face as she watched Firion, Gordon, and Cid board her ship. Everything was ready to shove off right then and there. Her first mate, Pluie, was at his favorite post – the crow's nest – and had a great view of not only everyone on the ship, but of the skies around them, too. Leila knew that far out at sea, these blokes wouldn't stand a chance. Not even her boss! The ship had at least ten of her men on it. She wasn't going to be able to outsmart Minwu, like Minwu had done to her, but Firion was the next best thing. Besides, the Emperor had put up fliers saying that he was looking for a silver-haired swordsman wearing a scarf similar to the one Firion was wearing. Oooh, she was going to be in the money very soon!

"I was worried," Firion said, sitting on the deck near the mast. "Knowing that both of the ports were destroyed…"

"I get the feeling that by the time we get there, Deist is going to be nothing but a crater," Gordon said, taking a spot on the deck next to his rebellious younger friend. "The Emperor is not the type to make negotiations."

Leila walked over to where the steering wheel was stationed, listening very closely to the conversation they were having. It sounded very much like all of them were rebels, which meant more money for her in the end.

"Negotiations…" Cid muttered. "You sure the man knows what that word means?" The old pilot preferred to stand. He didn't remember hiring so many people to work with Leila before.

"Ha. He doesn't know anything other than 'gimme'," Firion said, shrugging. "So we're gonna give him something: three feet of steel, pain flavored."

_Good luck with that_, Leila thought. _The man's got more power than any of us put together. Way I see it, you might actually survive if you stick by him. He doesn't ask for allegiance. I can tell you that much. What he wants is… obedience. _

"That's a nice thought," Gordon said, trying to ignore the fact that they were on a ship and he was seasick, "But I do not believe that Lord Minwu wants to do it that way."

_If Minwu's smarter than all of your arses, then why is he not out here on this mission with ya'll? Ya'll his puppets? Even Cid? Heh, maybe your Minwu is just like me, working undercover for someone ya'll don't know about, eh?_ Leila hated them and their dumb conversation. She steered the ship to head south, which was the initial direction they needed to go to reach the island of Deist.

"Lord Minwu is not the only member of the rebellion, Gordon," Cid said quietly. "We _**all**_ are…"

_Wait a cotton-pickin' minute here! The Emperor said something about huntin' down rebels because the Empress was kidnapped by them, right? I might get a better reward if I just take them to him, instead of lootin' them…_

"Skies are all clear, Cap'n Leila!" Pluie called from the crow's nest.

"I can see that, ya numb nuts," Leila barked back at him. "I need to think fer a minute, if'n ya don't mind! So shut yer trap!"

Firion watched the skies. Pluie was right. There wasn't a cloud or a ship in the sky now. Just blue that stretched on as far as they eye could see, and below that, a deeper blue. The water looked just simply beautiful as the sunlight shimmered right off of it. He liked being on a boat. Feeling the wind blow his short silver hair around, smelling that salty air… everything about it was nice, even if Gordon had to hold his mouth to prevent himself from puking all over the deck.

_I don't know if the Emperor will be in Deist when I get there. Prob'ly not. Palamecia is a pretty long hike from the shore, and I know they'd escape me if I tried to cross that desert with 'em… I'm not going back to the mainland without something to show 'im, lest I end up with my head on a pike… _Leila's gears kept turning. She was going to get something out of this, regardless of how it was done. _Well they don't know where Deist even is, do they? Maybe we can dump 'em somewhere else and send a message to Palamecia while they're lookin' for the dragons!_

"Leila," Cid called out to her. "You have that look on your face."

"What look?" Leila asked, turning to look at him with a very fake smile.

"That look you get when you're plotting something," Cid answered, walking up to stand next to her. "You've been scammin' and stealin' a very long time. I guess it can't be helped, considering where you're from."

"Wha… what are you talking about?" Leila asked.

"You're from Palamecia, aren't you? Born and bred in the land of trouble. It suits you."

Leila looked away from him. "…you don't even know what Palamecia is like now. At one point, it looked like a nice place to live. We had an Emperor that was a little… well, a little crazy, but we dealt with that. But in one night, that all changed. When the new Emperor was given the crown and sat upon the throne the very first time… The revolution happened in a blink of an eye. Soon people were divided between those that could fight, and those that couldn't… and those that couldn't, were taken to the labor camps to help the war effort. My mama, my papa, my three little sisters… we all…"

"Then you understand," Cid said gently. "You understand what the Rebellion is fighting against. Every town in this world has either been leveled or changed so much. Leila, join our effort. You can't pay back a debt if you're dead."

"You can't sail the seas if you're dead, either," Leila said. She kept looking straight ahead.

"What's the use of having a vessel like this… if you're not free to sail the way you want to?" Cid asked. "You're a servant of the Emperor. You have to be, because you're a citizen of Palamecia, being born there and all. For some reason, I get the feeling that you're gonna end up sellin' us out to the Emperor because of that. You don't want to betray your family, am I right?"

"They're… they're probably dead by now," Leila muttered. "But he tells me if I… if I can pay for their efforts, then… then I can have them back."

"So, you do his work to earn his coin, so you can buy your family back from him… with his coin," Cid said. "That's pretty circular. How close are you to buying them back from him?"

"…Heavens to Betsy, I don't even know," Leila said, unable to think of anything else to say about the whole thing. "We've never discussed it."

"Missy, I hate to say this, but you're a slave just as much as your family is," Cid said, looking over at her. "Until you gain the courage you need to stand up on your own and fight for them, that's all you'll ever be." He reached over to her, but she pulled away. "I know it's hard. That man has more power than all of us combined, but we gotta do something or the whole world's gonna suffer for it. He had my daughter. He had Minwu's daughter."

"…Minwu? Really?"

"That's right," Cid said with a nod. "Poor girl was kept at the Emperor's side. Who knows what he did to her, because they all say that she's not the same innocent girl she used to be. I saw her. Poor thing was always shakin' and lookin' like she wanted to cry all the time, like her mind was still stuck in that." He sighed. "I'm not gonna tell you what to do, Leila. You are the captain of this vessel, and if you're going to take us back to your lord 'n' master, that's fine. I got a few choice words I'd like to give him before he puts my head on a pike."

Leila sighed, too. "You're right, boss. You are… you're totally right about this. I'm… nothing but a slave myself unless I… fight back." She turned to look at him. "Ya'll be willin' to take an outcast like me along?"

"Of course we would," Cid said. "I bet with all the lootin' you've done, you've had plenty of time to build up some sort of combat skills." He tapped her on the shoulder. "Fight with us. Help us save our world."

"Yeah," Leila said, nodding at him. "I'll do just that."


	46. Ch 5, part 7

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 7

Even though Cantirena knew that lovemaking session was a dream, and even though she was certain it was never going to come true, she still felt awkward being around Minwu. She didn't want to look at him or those deep dark brown eyes of his, she didn't want him to touch her with that darkened skin, and she certainly didn't want to hear his beautiful Mysidian accent speaking to her at any distance other than a mile away. That wasn't likely to happen, as she was very much still in trouble for all the showing off she'd done in the day before. Cantirena was sitting in the center of the tent, now that everything had been rolled up and put away for traveling once again. Minwu was determined to get a lesson in before they left again, as it would be very hard to do anything like this while walking all day.

"Recite the first rule for magic etiquette," Minwu said as Cantirena was sitting in the center of the tent.

"A mage must always know her surroundings before casting any type of spell," Cantirena said, flicking the bangs out of her hair. She had this look on her face like she was both bored as hell, and she wanted to be somewhere, with almost anyone else right that very moment.

"Your mind is not focused on the lesson," Minwu said.

_How well you know me_, she thought, looking away from him.

"I know it happens to be one you've all ready covered before, but I believe it requires a good review every now and then," Minwu said as he held a book in his hands. He sat right in front of her. That book held almost every one of her lessons in it, as well as pages sticking out that Minwu had written himself and shoved inside for his own personal reference. "Cantirena? Cantirena…?"

_Keep calling my name… I'm not going to answer right now,_ she thought, putting her head down. _So go about what it takes to get ready to go._

"We are not leaving until this is covered," Minwu said more sternly. "You can hate me all you like for it. I want to make sure you remember the very basics of being my student before we take even _one_ step closer to Mysidia."

She looked up at him. All she could think of was her dream. This scared her quite a bit. Cantirena had always seen Minwu as something of her hero. She loved him dearly because he had always treated her like a normal girl: someone that actually treated her like a normal person, and not some social outcast. Her sister got along well with the townspeople when they were kids. Clarisse was kind-hearted and gentle, always there to talk to anyone who might have needed it. She was helpful and wanted to be helpful. Cantirena was awkward and had a hard time talking to anybody. Until she was rescued by Minwu during that day of the fire, she was alone at the town's school during the day.

"I'm sorry, Lord Minwu," she said carefully. She didn't want to lose herself or get emotional or anything like that. "I'm just very, _very_ distracted and it's hard to concentrate." Cantirena took a very deep breath, and let it out slowly. "It's hard to sort out."

"It must be something very important to put you in a state of mind like this," Minwu said, reaching over to her. He took her hands into his once he put the big book down and set it on the floor. "You've been acting oddly since you woke up. You had a dream, didn't you?"

Cantirena nodded.

"About something forbidden?"

She nodded again.

"That would do it," Minwu said. "Come now. Talk to me. I'm sure you will not feel so put off if you let it out of your system. I'm sure you have that look on your face because you suspect I will judge you for what's on your mind."

"This… this I'm sure you'll be upset at me for," Cantirena murmured.

"I will not. It was just a dream, yes? No matter what happens in your dreams, it was not real."

"But…" she frowned. "It felt real. So real. And I feel terrible because I would love for it to happen again. Repeatedly. Forever."

"You wish you could keep having the same dream repeatedly?" Minwu asked. "Oh. Are you telling me that you've had dreams about pleasures of the flesh?"

She nodded, but then looked away. "But that's not all."

"Not all?"

"No… I… I dreamt it was with _you_," Cantirena replied, feeling even worse having said it. He said it was supposed to make her feel better, and here she felt like the worst person in the world having told him that. "So… you can punish me if you want, I understand…"

"First off, I am not going to punish you," Minwu said. "This is a natural part of growing up, especially for girls your age. I am quite sure that your other sisters have had experiences very similar to this by now. If I'm not mistaken, Clarisse has had a few fantasies about Firion."

"But… he's our brother…"

"Correction, you were raised in the same house, but you are not related," Minwu explained. "In the same way, it's normal for girls to have these kinds of experiences as their bodies are preparing for making children. I remember hearing the maids whispering about having to help Princess Hilda change one morning because of a similar issue." Then he gripped her hands tighter. "But for you to dream about me? That is…"

"You can disown me now," she said sadly.

"No, no, no," Minwu said. "I will never disown you over something like this. How could I disown you for something that is completely out of your control? It probably means that you trust me more than anyone else in your life, and that if you had to satisfy these urges your body is putting you through, you'd want me to help with that." He took a deep breath. "But this is rather confusing for you on more levels than one, considering your feelings for the Prince of Palamecia, I'd imagine."

"Those feelings were confusing ever since I met him the first time," Cantirena said. "I wasn't sure what to feel, or how to feel, or how to talk about it, or if it was okay to talk about it…"

"But here you are, telling me that you had a dream about having sex with me," Minwu pulled her into a hug, only making her feel that much worse. "Thank you for being honest with me."

"…what?"

"Because… it lets me know that you trust me," Minwu said, gripping her tightly. "Now I completely understand why you didn't even want to look me in the eyes. Of course you were going to feel awkward, because our relationship is not like anything normal between a typical teacher and his typical student. I know you much better than a common schoolmaster knows any child in any given class. I know your moods and how frequent they can swing, I know your energies and how you use them to your advantage…" As he was talking, he rolled her over so she lay against him, nesting his chin on her shoulder. "And, now, I even know that you harbor secret fantasies about me." He laughed very softly about it. "Oh, Cantirena…"

_Why are you holding me like this?_ She thought. _You're only making it worse…_

"Is something wrong?" Minwu asked.

"No…"

"Don't be afraid of me. How many times have you sat on my lap throughout our time together? Especially when you were just a little one?" he said. "You know I love you."

"Yes, but… not in that way."

"Not in a sexual sense, you mean?"

"That's… that's exactly what I mean."

Minwu put his hand on her forehead, making her lean back completely against him. "You're very right. You are a bright young woman, Cantirena. You are my student, my one and only protégé… and giving you what you ask for would completely shatter every vow I've taken my entire life. I swore a vow when I took up the robes that I would never engage in pleasures of the flesh, as well as many other things. When I entered the court of Fynn, I swore a vow to the court, too. My services would be for the further building of the kingdom… and then, a few years later, you come along." He kissed her neck, and her eyes rolled back into her head. "You changed my life forever."

_Oh for Cosmos' sake, Minwu… don't… don't __**do**__ that…_

"Oath breakers are considered the worst of criminals in Mysidia," Minwu said carefully. "Worse than rapists, murders, arsonists, and terrorists are oath breakers." He kissed her neck again, and she couldn't help moaning just a little bit. "I suppose if I _wanted_ to live the kind of life where I could take a bride, I would have to dissociate myself from Mysidia all together. The problem is that we're going there right now to seek their aid."

"Do we really have to go back there?" Cantirena asked. "Can I not… just… have you?"

"But… what of your feelings for the Prince of your childhood, hmm? You said you wanted to set him free of the darkness that has a hold on him. You admitted to your sisters that you were in love with the Emperor."

"I… know he's possessed by the Demon King," she said. "I know he has been under that influence so long, there may not be a shred of his actual self inside anymore. Because I know…a little bit of how it works. First, it clouds your memories and makes remembering anything outside of what it wants you to remember hurt. It makes you want to forget all of the things that do not help furthering its cause. It tells you things in your mind, too. A separate voice from your own thoughts. I… started to hear it before you managed to break me free, but..." Cantirena felt his hands crawl across her belly, and his hands folded in a way that make his arms feel like a belt around her middle. It was comfortable. It felt right. She liked it, and put her own hands on top of his. "…there was a time where I wondered if the Emperor himself was just doing what the Demon King wanted all the time. That maybe the voice I'd grown to recognize as my master was that of the Demon King, and not of the handsome face. I'm scared of that. Lord Minwu, I'm frightened that… that… if I allow myself those feelings to come back, I'll turn against you."

"What makes you say that?"

"The Emperor made me swear a vow to him."

"He did?"

"He made me swear if I ever saw you again that I would kill you," she whispered. "I remember the hurt it caused me to even think of doing that. I begged him to spare your life. He told me that you had to die. You were an enemy of the crown and that you were going to try to convince me to betray him." Cantirena shook her head in disgust.

"So what does this mean? Come now, explain it to me so that I may understand," Minwu said. "Tell me what your heart feels. Where is your heart in all of this?"

"Lord Minwu, I… I would rather have my teacher as my life partner than potentially lose him forever to some romantic whim," she said, turning to look at him straight in her eyes. "What I had for the prince was an infatuation, and it lead me into some very bad places. I still want to save him, so that maybe, I can help save this world from being further thrown into war, but… I'd rather have someone that I know loves me for who I am, that someone who might be using me for whatever reason..." Cantirena loved how deep his eyes were. She could stare into them forever. They were always full of understanding and kindness, something she admired about Minwu ever since she met him the first time.

"My student has _grown_ so much," Minwu whispered. "And she has come to understand the depths of love itself. I cannot begin to explain how proud of you I am, Cantirena. Infatuation is not love, and many do not learn this until it is too late."

"It's… probably too late for me."

_Considering all the people I've killed in his name, it's most definitely too late for me to turn back completely…_

"No," he said. "I love you, and if you wish to remain with me for the rest of your life, you are more than welcome to. I will never, ever push you away. The problem is-"

"Your vows."

"Yes. I would have to cut off all ties with the Circle of Mages and Mysidian culture," he continued. "So… if I were to accept the idea of you being more than just my student, it would wait until after we've gone there to seek their aid. But that does not mean I cannot give you something."

_Just don't… just don't kiss me again… I swear I'll turn you over and take you myself if you do._

"Cantirena," he said, "I want you to take this." Minwu pulled a ring off of his finger and picked up her hand. "This is my promise to you."

"I… I can't take your ring…"

"You can, and you will," Minwu said, slipping the ruby-studded ring onto her finger. "I know that it is customary to give a ring as a promise here just by observation of those who have been raised. Scott's dying wish was for Hilda to have his ring." He then put his hand on top of hers. "So I will have to borrow your custom. Wear it, Cantirena. I swear that when we are through in Mysidia, I _will _fulfill my promise to you."

_Minwu… that… that was an indirect proposal! Minwu… you're going to __**marry**__ me?!_

"I suppose I will have to stop calling you _my child_, won't I?" he asked, gripping her tighter. "It's all right. You don't need such a title anymore. You're not a child. You can think and make your own decisions." Minwu felt wonderful about the whole thing. "But I want you to stick to your decisions, all right? If this is what you want, Cantirena, I would be more than _happy_ to give it to you when the time is right. If it isn't, I want you to tell me that you're not serious about it. I will accept either answer."

"My lord Minwu," Cantirena answered, lifting her arm to place her hand on his cheek. "I can't imagine having any other. I'm happiest when I'm with you."

"I accept that," Minwu said, kissing her cheek, and then her lips very tenderly. "So dream of me all you like. One day, I will give you all of those dreams and more."

As they kept kissing back and forth, the flap to the tent came open and neither of them even noticed. Clarisse stood there, watching, almost confused by the display, until Candice came in and bumped into her from behind.

"Say, Minwu, we've packed up everything and-"

Clarisse slapped her hand over Candice's mouth. She wanted to see where this was going. When Candice noticed what was going on, she moved Clarisse's hand off of her face.

_So __**this**__ is what's been taking so long,_ Clarisse thought. _Minwu must have taken Canti's feelings for our enemy very seriously. Perhaps he saw a need to intervene before more trouble came out of the relationship between Canti and… and the Emperor… It might make it easier for her to go along with defeating him this way._

"Lessons, huh? Is that what they call it now?" Candice asked, putting her hands on her hips. "Yeah, I totally see learning going on here."

"Shut up! Let them make out if they want," Clarisse grunted at Candice. "Besides… I'm sure Minwu knows techniques no one does, if you know what I'm sayin'."

Minwu looked up to see the other two sisters there. "Oh my…"

Cantirena wondered why the kissing stopped so suddenly, only to see her other sisters were standing there near the entrance of the tent. "You're not telling a soul about this," she said. "Not a single soul."

"If I go outside and scream at the top of my lungs that Cantirena and Minwu were making out on the floor of their tent, not a single soul would hear me except us," Candice said. "We're in the middle of the biggest marshland in the world, where nobody fucking lives." She shrugged. "But it is nice to see the littlest one come into her own and grow up, now isn't it?"

"Still," Minwu said very seriously. "If they find out about this in Mysidia before I cut my ties with the Circle of Mages… they will put me to death for being an oath breaker."

"Oath… breaker…? What? Why?" Cantirena asked worriedly. "You didn't even touch me."

"My precious student," Minwu said, kissing her cheek. "At this point, it doesn't even matter." He pointed at the ring. "Remember that marriage in the sense that it exists on the outside is forbidden in Mysidia. And because I gave you a promise ring, which just happens to be a Mysidian Ruby on top of everything else, that would put me with the oath breakers. So you absolutely cannot tell anyone else until we are safely done with Mysidia. Once we have returned to Fynn, my love, I will dedicate my life to you and only you."

"So, are we ready to get the hell out of this marsh, or what?" Candice asked. "The quicker we get to walkin', the quicker we'll get out of the mudpies."

"Once we hit the Winding Mountains, you'll wish you could just walk in the mudpies," Minwu said, finally getting up.

He helped Cantirena up, too, and they proceeded to start packing the rest of the supplies away so that they could get to leaving the area as quickly as possible.

_Cantirena, my dear student… No matter what happens, I will keep my promise to you. If it wasn't for your dream, I fear I… would never have stopped to think of how much you mean to me. The Emperor of Palamecia will have to take you out of my cold, dead hands. I will not let him have you without a fight. You don't belong to him. You don't belong to me, either. You are a person, not a slave._


	47. Ch 5, part 8

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 8

Deist stood no chance against the Emperor's Dark Knights. Men, women, and children fell to both blade and spell until Mateus could find no more. Houses and the castle alike crumbled, dragon carcasses littered the place as much as human ones. Smoke came from every part of Deist. It was around this time when he felt victory was assured, though he could sense something in the castle that bothered him. Not the type of man to leave any remote thing to chance, the Emperor walked through those now ghostly halls, somewhat reminded of the day he took Kashuon Keep.

"Get out!" a little blonde boy shouted from the hall, throwing a rock at Mateus. "Get out, you big monster!"

The rock did not hit him, as Mateus could see it from all the way down the hall. He caught it with his hand and turned to look in that direction with nothing but contempt. How _dare_ a lowly boy such as this speak to him in such a way? He was going to show the tyke a lesson. Yet another example to be made. Another head to be put on a pike to show his glory.

"Kain, no!" a woman grabbed the boy who was kicking and screaming for her to let him go. All though her eyes watered, as she had seen her husband be slaughtered while defending her and their son, she fell to the floor. "Bow your head to the Emperor, my son."

"_Give_ me the boy," Mateus ordered, extending his clawed hand down to her.

"I cannot," the woman cried. "If you wish to take my son, you will take him out of my cold, dead fingers."

"Hm. Very well," he said, lifting his hand. He started to charge a spell.

_The bloodline of Deist is known for its honor even in the face of death. Out of respect for this, I will ensure that you feel no pain, _Mateus thought as he prepared to release the spell upon the cowering mother and her son.

"Your Imperial Majesty!" a knight called from behind him.

The Emperor's spell faded instantly. He turned to look at the knight. "Speak."

"A ship approaches the island," the knight said. "It bears no flag."

"Hm," Mateus said. He turned to look back to the mother and her boy, who were both still crouched down on the floor at his feet. "When you have grown up, young man, come to Palamecia. I will have a _place_ for you. One with a spirit such as yours cannot go to _waste_." He turned around to leave the castle. He didn't really care for Deist. There were dragon emblems and decorations everywhere.

"Sire," another messenger came up to him from outside as he was going out the main gate. "The dragons in the Dragon Cavern have gone completely crazy. We can't even get inside the mouth of the cave!"

"Must I think of _everything_?" Mateus answered with a question.

_These pitiful excuses for men… those who deal in broken love and forsaken justice can only live up to such expectations,_ he thought, disgusted. _Such is the reason why I am the only one fit to rule this desperate world. _

"Well, if you're too _stupid_ to fight them directly, there are other means as to take them out," Mateus thought aloud.

"Sire?" the messenger asked, scared out of his wits.

_Lowly worm…_

"Take the men down to the base of the mountain and poison the water that flows into the Dragon Cavern. If they drink, we will not have to fight them, and if they do not drink, they cannot stand forever," Mateus ordered, looking at the messenger who seemed like he was going to piss his pants if he kept staring at him like that. "Go. Carry that message. If it is not carried out, I will kill you, messenger."

"As you wish, Your Imperial Majesty," the messenger said, bowing before scurrying away.

"A ship," Mateus mused aloud.

_I wonder if it's that girl's rebellious entourage have come to seek aid from the Dragoons? Even they are aware of the combat ability the Dragoons possessed. No one else would sail out this far. There's a reason why ferrymen never come this far south. Typical sailors know about the king of the sea. Still, I suppose I should investigate before I head over to Mysidia._

…

Candice stomped her foot on the ground, splashing a bit of mud as she shouted "Let's get the hell out of this marsh! I'm tired of lookin' at mud!" She was the first to start walking in the direction Minwu pointed, with Clarisse trailing behind her just a little bit. Minwu and Cantirena walked side by side, still within ear distance. "Listen to that! Birds singing to welcome the morning!"

"…there's no trees, Candi," Clarisse said, looking around. "There's not any trees for miles."

"Not only that," Cantirena added, "But I think it's somewhere in the afternoon now. I'm a bit confused, considering I've never stayed up all night like that before."

"Never burned the midnight oil?" Candice asked, stopping long enough for everyone else to catch up to her. "For such a studious little mage like you, I figured that was a part of the package deal. Studying constantly led to being up all night with books in hand, furiously writing notes…"

"Oh I tried on several occasions," Cantirena said.

"But she usually ended up with her face planted directly in the book," Minwu said. "And no matter how many times I explained to her that books are not pillows…"

"They still felt comfortable the next night," Cantirena giggled at herself. "I think I would feel more comfortable putting my face on an open book than I would lying back on a pillow."

"Or a tent floor?" Candice said, nudging her a little. "Hmm?"

"Stop it," the youngest sister snapped.

"Tell me everything," Candice said, trying to put her arm around Cantirena. "Come on, you can tell big sis Candice."

Minwu glared at her. "I'm right _here_," he said, "My white robes do _not_ hide my existence." He was more annoyed than he thought he'd be about the subject.

"I don't want to tell you everything… or anything, really," Cantirena said quietly. "I'm not really comfortable with telling a perfect stranger about these kinds of things."

"A stranger?" Candice asked. "I'm your sister. Minwu even said so. I've been an only child all my life, raised by one dad who loved his work more than he loved me, and when I finally get some family that I might be able to talk to… you're gonna deny me that sisterly right? Come on!"

"But… we didn't even know you existed until a few days ago," Clarisse said. "We don't know anything about you or how you fit in with being related to us."

"The legends say the blue-haired girls who come from Cosmos herself were born in a dance between the world as the mother and calamity as the father," Minwu said kindly. "Their deep blue hair is a symbol of the water which is needed by all life forms to live. Their skin is the color of the softest sand, and they together harbor the powers of the Goddess herself. I was unsure of Hilda's hunch about this before I headed to Bafsk, but seeing your powers together save Cantirena from the Demon King's influence… I knew it was true. Where else could that power have come from?"

"So our real mother is the Goddess?" Clarisse asked. "That's… well, I have to say, that is kind of weird."

"I don't think a Goddess can actually give birth," Candice said stubbornly. "And if she did give birth to us, why didn't she want us? Why didn't she keep us and take care of us? You know, like… a _real_ mother is supposed to do?"

Cantirena looked down at the red ring on her finger for a moment. What was it Minwu said all those years ago? "I think it's because the Goddess is not supposed to interfere with the realm of humanity," she said.

"Very good," Minwu said. "Anything else you remember about the Goddess from the lessons?"

"That she gave us free will, so that we may choose our own paths in life," she continued. "Scripture states that the Goddess wanted all of those who she created to follow our hearts desires, though many holy men disagree and say that is just a modernistic teaching."

"Yes," Minwu nodded. "And here I thought you fell asleep through that lesson."

"Well when I was eight, it was boring," Cantirena said, smiling. "I also remember reading that Mysidian mages dedicate themselves to purity so they are not tempted to sin, and thus be led down the path to evil. Some even will claim that the Goddess herself is their wife, and that no mortal woman is good enough for them."

"Correct. Though I don't know _any_ of them who are worthy of the Goddess," Minwu said.

"Wait, wait, wait a minute," Candice said, stepping between the two mages. "Say every man on the planet decides to become 'Holy' right? The human race would die out because no one would be making babies. How does giving up… y'know, sex, actually make one a holier person?"

"And therein lies a problem with the logic," Minwu said. "You are a sharp one, Candice."

Clarisse shrugged. "If she's our sister, she can't be _dumb_."

"Very true," Minwu agreed. "Both you and Cantirena have shown nothing but potential and promise since your younger days. You were perfect children."

"And I was chopped liver," Candice grunted.

"In Mysidia, chopped liver is a delicious delicacy," Minwu said. "So do not feel too bad if this is your role in life. But, in all candor, you have your own talents, too, Candice."

_Separate, you have talents that stand out, but when together, that's when you will make miracles._


	48. Ch 5, part 9

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 9

It took three days of nothing but walking during the daytime and sleeping after sunset for Minwu and the three girls to even see anything other than the empty marshland. When Candice first laid eyes on the Winding Mountains, she jumped for joy. There were trees, and birds flying overhead, and clouds in the sky. She could have sworn that the marsh was just a wet desert, with how flat and empty it was. But she finally had hopes that they were going somewhere, that the quest was actually leading up to a point and not just some wild goose chase. Candice was excited, to say the least. Something different to look at, to exist in. She always hated constant sameness.

At the base of the mountains, Minwu had the group stop their progress. He looked at the soil, examining it very closely. He licked his finger and put it in the air, to feel exactly the way the winds were going. He listened to the birds to hear their tweeting. He found some meaning in all of it, and it drove him to a certain point of crazy that none of the girls were quite ready to keep up with.

Clarisse had gone off in a different direction from Minwu, armed with knives and her trusty sword, ready to hunt for nearby meat. She was tired of living off of what was inside the Item Pouch. Now that there were animals to hunt, she jumped on that opportunity the moment it presented itself.

"Hey, Minwu, we're not on a nature hike," Candice said impatiently. She noticed that Cantirena, who usually was following everything Minwu did, was sitting on the ground with her eyes closed. Not quite asleep, but certainly not paying the world around her much attention. "You okay, short stuff?"

"Excuse me?" Cantirena retorted, cocking up an eyebrow. That seemed to strike a nerve. "I'm trying to find my center."

"You're meditating?" Candice asked.

"In layman's terms, yes," Cantirena said. "I'm doing it because I've felt weak too long, and to expend less energy, I should find my center to even things out."

"Geez, I thought you were too weak because you've shared a tent with Minwu every night since we started this vacation," Candice said, plopping down next to Cantirena.

"…are you going to try to get that out of me again? You've been asking every day," Cantirena said, crossing her arms. "And for the last time, no. We didn't do anything that would warrant being a conversation piece."

"Pretty much anything's okay for conversation, when you're out in the middle of nowhere like this," the older one said, pulling out her daggers. She couldn't believe that Paul just let her have them both after their misadventures in the Palamecian Capital, and she hoped that he was doing all right helping Princess Hilda back in Altair. "Anything helps to pass the time when you're alone, you know?"

"I'm not alone," Cantirena said. She looked up at the sky.

"What? You're going to tell me that the Goddess is with you always?" Candice asked in a very snarky tone. "I know you and Minwu both adhere to some religion. Maybe you want to tell me to let my faith guide me where I need to be, eh? Spiritual fulfillment and all that? Pul-lease. I've had enough of that over the course of my life, thank you very much."

"No, that's not it at all. I might believe in Cosmos, but I don't believe what the common church will tell you. They say she's omnipotent, and that she's everywhere and in all places all at once, right? I don't think that's quite the case. People are overglorifying the Goddess too much," Cantirena explained. "Something makes me feel like, maybe, she's the same as we are."

"The same…?"

"Yep. Way I see it, the Goddess Cosmos is a normal woman. She just has way more powers than we do, but she's still a normal person," Cantirena said it very simply. "…The reason I'm not alone is because…"

"…well, aren't you going to complete that thought?"

"….because once you're cursed, it always leaves an imprint," she said. Her tone had gotten very dark, very quickly. "Stop thinking that when Minwu and I spent time alone that it's purely romantic, because that's not the reason I have to sleep beside him. My memories might be unlocked because of the power we three have between us, and I might not be a mindless zombie anymore, but I can still hear that damn voice in my mind. _His_ voice."

"The Emperor?" Candice asked. "You… hear the Emperor?"

"Oh no. The Emperor might be a tyrant, but his voice was at least gentle sounding enough to listen to. A part of the reason I fell so hard for him was in fact his voice. But, no. This voice is deeper and much more sinister. When the Emperor gave me his orders, the voice was what told me to go along with what I had been told. It… was the Demon King, Iliua," Cantirena stood up, watching for Minwu to come back. "I cannot sleep without Minwu's spells to aid me, because that voice always comes back."

"What… what does it say to you?"

"Lots of things. It reminds me of Fynn's massacre. It reminds me of Bafsk's massacre, too. It reminds me that the Emperor will come to claim me again no matter how far I go, and when he does, I will never escape him again. It likes to keep telling me about riding on the Dreadnaught. It even loves to tell me almost every time it comes back to my dreams, the very first thing it says to me is that no matter what I feel for my teacher or try to do to save him… that he will die. And that that will be my fault, too," Cantirena said, flicking her hair off of her shoulder. "I love that man more than anyone I've ever loved anyone, ever… Minwu has done nothing but been there for me since he saved my life."

"In that sense, I have to say I'm a little jealous of you," Candice said quietly. "You have a remarkable talent for drawing people to you. I've been alone for so long, I thought no one wanted to be around me."

"You are not a bad person," Cantirena smiled as she said it. "So please don't think that you are. It's unfortunate that you were not in the same place we were, so you could have been found by our parents. I'm sure you would have had a place with us, if only you were there."

"So how do you feel about finding out your parents didn't give birth to you?"

Cantirena shrugged. "I… always felt like I was different from them. They showered me with praise and a lot of love, but they didn't even know I was going to have magical potential. Minwu telling me about how they confided in him secretly made me realize that what he was saying was true. I'd always thought I wasn't their blood, but they did care about me. I know if I was able to see them again, I'd thank them. So, when I think about that, Candice… in that sense, I have to say that I'm a little jealous of you."

Candice laughed out loud, and they shared a hug.

"We have to stick together," Cantirena said.

"I'm with you on that," Candice said, pulling away.

Clarisse came running up, holding two big rabbits bound to a stick by their feet so they would be unable to escape. "What do you two say to a big pot of fresh rabbit stew?"

"Oh god, I could go for some fresh meat," Candice said. "Let's skin 'em now, and get this started."

Minwu came up, much more quietly. When he saw the rabbits, he hurried over. "You cannot eat those," he said. "Release them."

"But Minwu…" Candice said. "They're plump and look like they could feed us enough to last three days!"

"This is not the season for rabbit," he said sharply. "They will taste terrible and carry parasites in them this time of year. You cannot eat them. If you do, you'll get the fever, and I'll have to leave you here."

"That's a bit cold," Clarisse groaned. "I just spent all that effort catching them, too."

"Not to worry," Minwu said kindly. "I figured you three would want something fresh to eat, so I picked these on my way back. They're full of natural vitamins and will boost your vitality for the next part of the trek." He handed them each what looked like a banana, but smelled like a durian.

"Oh Goddess," Clarisse shouted. "That stinks to high hell!"

Cantirena opened hers just like she would a banana and found the fruit inside to be a very dull green. The smell was even worse now. "I believe I've studied something like this before, but I've never tried it."

"It only grows on the base of the Winding Mountains," Minwu said. "That would be why. The smell is the plant's way of keeping you from picking it, but trust me. You can live weeks on just this alone. It's full of all sorts of things that are good for you. And it tastes much better than it smells."

"I wouldn't find that hard to believe," Candice said, plugging her nose. "Dad's number one rule for food: if it stinks, don't eat it."

"Well, you wouldn't know this, as you've never been exposed to this kind of fruit, but if you cook it, the smell goes away," Minwu said. "But this is not the place to set up camp. I've checked around, and I can tell that the Mysidian climate has indeed changed since the last time I was here."

"Does that mean anything important? The weather changes all the time," Candice said, trying to hold back her gag reflex. That smell was just too damn much.

"We need to hike up further. There will be fog if we wait here. The fog here is impossible to navigate properly," Minwu explained. "When we set up the tent for the night, I will explain further. Right now we need to get to the highest altitude we can manage."

"The?" Clarisse asked. "You're only setting up one tent?"

"You'll see why when we get there," Minwu said. "Cantirena… are you all right?"

She put the fruit she was holding away, and then looked at her teacher with a very slight smile. "Forgive me, I… can't shake… this weird feeling," she said, walking up to Minwu.

"We will talk about it later. I would discuss it with you now, but we've no time. This place is dangerous at night. I'm sorry if you think I'm rushing you," Minwu said carefully.

"You're not rushing me," she said, gripping onto his arm. "I'll go anywhere you do."


	49. Ch 5, part 10

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 10

Princess Hilda lacked any real manpower to do much of anything, but she was tired of sitting there and doing absolutely nothing with her time. She paced about her throne room, remembering when Minwu was going through all of the maps and scrolls on the nearby table. She used to have his constant companionship. She looked at the other throne, which belonged to Gordon. She used to have him by her side, too. Then she remembered Cid, and eventually, her beloved Scott. She was all alone.

Suddenly, her door bust open, and Paul walked in. "Well, hello there, Princess," he said, bowing before her.

"Paul," she said, smiling. "Rise, please. Tell me, what news do you bring?"

"Honestly, your highness, I wish I had something to report of use," Paul said, standing back up. "Turns out that there's a crashed airship at the base of the mountains near Paloom, and there's absolutely no one in it. Paloom is nothing but a pile of rubble, too."

_Firion_… Hilda thought sadly. _Did I send you… to die?_

"It seems like we've been backed into a corner, princess," Paul continued. "I don't know what to do anymore."

"There's not many of us left, and I've been sitting here on my ass for the last week waiting for something, anything to do," Hilda said, hanging her head. "I'm a failure, Paul. This rose… it will not bloom." She felt the sting of tears in her eyes. "Paul… we're _done_."

"No, milady," Paul said. "You aren't."

"Have you no good news whatsoever?" Hilda asked. "Every turn, we're dying like flies. There are so few people left here in Altair. We're terribly defended, we're running out of supplies, and… no, Paul, there's nothing left."

"We still have Minwu. He's headed for Mysidia. Surely he will find something there, princess," Paul said, trying to cheer her up.

_If everyone saw you like this, they would also give up hope, Hilda. You can't show these feelings to anyone. You have to have a strong face,_ Paul thought. _You were the one who told me the Wild Rose will bloom anywhere, even in the ashes._

"Wait," Paul said. "Princess, I have an idea!"

"An idea?" Hilda asked. "I would hear of it. I'm open to anything."

Paul looked around the room. "We set the town of Altair on fire," he said.

Hilda gasped. "Wha… what in the Seventh Layer of Hell are you even… _**how **_the _**FUCK**_ could you even _suggest_ that?!"

"I thought you might say that," Paul said gently. "We take all the refugees to one of the destroyed towns. Paloom or Galtea, for instance. If the Emperor himself was on his way to claim Cantirena, then he must know that this is our den. He would think that the Rebellion is dead. This means he won't come for you."

"So, you're suggesting that we give the tyrant what he wants," Hilda said, shaking her head disgustedly. "You're more crazy than _he_ is."

"I don't think that's possible," Paul grunted. "But give me the benefit of the doubt, eh? We get all the people out of here and we torch the place. I have a few uniforms lifted from the carcasses of the dead Dark Knights on hand, so…"

Hilda couldn't believe what she was hearing. "When the Emperor comes to find out what the fuck happened, you're going to sneak onboard his ship. _Again_." Her royal tone was gone. She sounded like a normal every day person now as she slumped down onto the floor. Her dress ripped a little bit more, but she didn't even care.

"Bingo!"

"Paul, can I ask you a simple question?" Hilda asked, having one of those the-fuck-are-you-even-doing expressions on her face.

"What's that?" Paul asked. He was grinning from ear to ear.

"Have you got some sort of death wish?"

Paul shook his head. "No, not particularly. But maybe protecting the ones we love gives us something that might seem like a death wish to someone who has never felt anything like that before." He put his hands on his hips triumphantly. "Princess, it's because of this that I can tell you with absolute certainty that Scott didn't have a death wish when he raced out into the battlefield the afternoon Fynn was attacked. He wanted more than anything to protect you, to save you from dying. Me? I guess you could say I've found that same thing that… that… well, I'm _willing_ to die if I _must_ to ensure she survives." He then winked at her. "Don't worry, Princess, it's not you."

Hilda laughed a little. "I don't want another to lay down his life for my sake."

"Princess, you are the symbol of the rebellion, and thus, the symbol of freedom," Paul said, shrugging. "People want to put a face to concepts. They've always done this. So, don't take it personally the next time someone wants to fight someone thousands of times more powerful than they are to make sure you can live another day, all right? They're not doing it to depress or even impress you. They want out of this mess. They want more out of life than they have, and they believe that you are where it's going to come from."

"But, Paul… I cannot just… give freedom. Maybe save them from tyranny, but not just hand them the freedom they want," Hilda said, looking at the floor. "It's not something that you can just give."

"I'm afraid that the common man may never understand this concept," Paul said. "So, do you want to get this underway, or are you going to sit on your rump yet another day, waiting for word from Deist or from Mysidia?"

The door burst open and a messenger ran in. "Princess Hilda! We've received a message from Deist!"

Paul rolled his eyes. "…speak of the devil."

Hilda stood up. "Please, by all means, messenger."

"The island nation of Deist has been defeated by the Palamecian Empire," the messenger said quietly. "The ship the Emperor is on now heads west."

"To Mysidia!" Paul shouted. "That's where Minwu's headed!"

"Confound it all," Hilda said quietly. She had no time. What was she supposed to do now? Was Paul right? "Fair enough, messenger, you have done your duty. Carry on."

The messenger bowed his head and left the room. Paul looked at Hilda.

"We gotta buy him time, Princess," Paul snapped at her. "If the Emperor gets Minwu, we're all _**fucked**_."

"Royally," Hilda agreed. "Fine. I want you to take the townspeople to Galtea. If you find someone who is a part of us, have them report to me immediately. Tell the mayor there that we will give him as much compensation as we possibly can to hide those who live here... We set fire to the village in an hour."

"As you wish," Paul said, bowing his head. He left the throne room

"I hope this works," she whispered. "I… really hope we can distract him enough to get him off Minwu's trail…" She took the crown off of her head and put it on the floor. "For this, I'm going to have to become something other than who I was raised to be." Hilda put her foot on top of the crown and smashed it under her heel. "I'm going to have to die." She looked up at the ceiling sadly.

_Scott, when we meet again in Heaven… I hope you will understand._

…

Minwu led the girls up through the mountains, though there was no path that was easy to follow. He constantly had a hand on Cantirena, no matter if she was in front of him or behind him. His foot placement was always cautious, which slowed progress even further. He could tell she was not made for this kind of hike. She felt weaker the further up they went, and night was quickly approaching. They'd been climbing all day and she had a hard time reaching from rock to rock.

"You'd think because questing is such an important part of Mysidian culture that there would be a path or something," Candice said. "Minwu, doesn't everyone take the same path to Mysidia?"

"No," Minwu said, helping push Cantirena up further from below. When she grabbed onto a tree root that was sticking out, she managed to pull herself onto another ledge. "You must understand, Candice…" he said between breaths, "That this land is constantly changing. That is why… no one has been able to invade Mysidia. The anti-technology barriers, the land itself warps in and out of distortion… it's all to protect the Holy Mecca."

"I thought the name for it was the Magic Kingdom," Clarisse said. She was doing quite well climbing on her own.

"Only people who have lived in Mysidia know of the real name for it," Minwu explained. "The land is considered the holiest place on Earth. The Goddess herself was once seen there, and that is why the city was built there. To preserve it as it was when she visited. Or, so the legends have said."

"It feels like we're climbing up a cliff," Cantirena said weakly. "This isn't a mountain at all, teacher!" She sat on the ledge, backing away to let them have more space to climb up to it. "_Why_… are we climbing up a _**cliff**_?!"

"Because there is no other way into the jungle," Minwu answered her. He grasped onto the same root and pulled himself up to the ledge, and then reached his hand down to Candice. He looked to see that the ledge was just big enough to fit one tent. "We'll set up camp here, ladies. We do not have the strength to proceed further, and we need to be under shelter before night falls completely."

"Why?" Candice asked.

"There are creatures who will smell the scent of a human out here," he said. "Start a fire. I'll get out the pot. I'll cook tonight." Once he saw Cantirena's face, he walked over to her. "I know. It's not easy. Bear with me."

"I was going to have to do this anyway," she said. "Because I'm your student, you were planning on taking me to Mysidia. Because of that, I see this as my test. I have to pass it. I have to make it to Mysidia with you… I have to be worthy of being your student…" She tried to smile, but it didn't come out right at all.

"You weren't going to be ready for this for a few years yet," Minwu said. "Typically, we train for this before bringing our students on our journey back home." He reached into the item pouch and tossed the tent to Clarisse, who was able to set it up without any issues. "You have had no outdoors training, you don't know what to look for, and your body is weak because you have had no chance to build up your endurance." He then set up a ring of stones that he had collected and pointed at it. "Go ahead. I know you want to."

Cantirena pointed her finger at it, and a spark of fire shot from her finger to make just enough of a fire to use with Minwu's large black pot. "Tee hee," she giggled.

"You know, that confuses me," Minwu said as he pulled out the stinky banana-looking fruit from before. He peeled it and mashed it against a cutting board, then tossed it into the pot. "I was hoping to lead you down the path of a white mage, but I've not seen you cast a cure spell since I found you inside the Dreadnaught."

Cantirena frowned. He was right. She had forgotten how to do it, but she didn't want to tell him that. "You can cast more cures than I could ever attempt," she said. "But I can defeat attacking monsters. I'm not completely… useless, right?"

"Of course not," Minwu said. "I think I'll throw some more things I've found while on the path inside the pot, too. Call it Winding Mountain Stew."

Candice sat down, watching the fire under the pot. "The tent's all ready for the night."

"Good." Minwu took berries and other fruits he collected from the item pouch, mashing them up, and tossed them into the pot. "This will be the best thing for you all. After you sleep with this in your body, not only will you gain a surge of strength, but any wounds you've incurred during the day will heal. These berries here? They're mixed into a solution to make potions."

"So potion-makers have to come all the way out here to gather things to make their potions?" Clarisse asked as she walked out of the tent.

"No, I suspect there are foraging herbalists who do that to sell to the alchemists," Minwu replied quietly. "But either way, you will need to rest. The hike does not get any easier."

"You keep saying that," Candice thought aloud.

"Yes, because it's true."

All of the berries, herbs, and fruit melted together inside the pot over the low heat. It smelled almost like the filling of a fruit pie. Minwu stirred it around carefully to ensure nothing burned or stuck to the bottom of the pot. The longer the three girls waited to eat it, the better it smelled.

"Wow…" Candice said. "You were right. It doesn't stink anything like what it did before."

"And you didn't want to believe me," Minwu said. "I have been through these lands twice. I know of how it works, even though it always changes."

"That means… you came here before you took your robes," Cantirena said.

"Yes, though I was far younger than you when I made my first trip through this place," Minwu said. He found the four bowls in the item pouch and began to serve everyone. "My teacher had to return to Mysidia for an urgent matter, and with no family to stay with, I came with him."

"That's right," Clarisse said as she sipped the mixture from the side of the bowl. It was like a thick stew broth with a sweet aftertaste. She never had anything like it before. "You mentioned that those from Mysidia were not born there."

"And I am no different," Minwu said very quietly.

"Then, where were you born?" Cantirena asked, eating some of the soup.

"I do not know," Minwu replied. He didn't look like he wanted to continue that conversation. "My teacher found me, alone, on an island. I was little over three years old, living in a shipwreck. I fed myself using the herbs around the ship. He said that the Goddess saw fit to save me for an important purpose. So he took me in and raised me until we reached Mysidia."

"Have you spoken with him since you left?" Candice asked. She finished everything that was in her bowl, and boy, did she feel great. It not only tasted delicious, but it filled her up very quickly. Her body was filled with a gentle warmth, and she felt like curling up to sleep almost right that second.

"No. Once I completed my graduation process and decided to take up the white robes, I bid that man farewell," Minwu continued. "And I know how wrong it is of me to say, but I hope he has passed before I return."

"You hate your teacher?" Cantirena said. She looked like she was on the verge of tears just hearing that. "How…? If he was anything like you are to me, how in the world could…?!"

"My dear student," Minwu whispered. "He was nothing like I am to you. If he had you as a student, I am sure he would have taken every advantage of you. I would not trust that man with any girl, or any child for that matter." As he spoke of his teacher, his eyes looked like they surged with hated. Abject, unchecked hatred. It was unlike anything Cantirena had ever seen from him. "You would hate him if you knew the truth. You would hate everything about him, and probably demand to see him dead, if not kill him yourself with your own magic."

_If he is still alive when we return to Mysidia… I hate to think on it any further._

_**END CHAPTER FIVE**_


	50. Ch 6, part 1

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

_**CHAPTER SIX BEGINS**_

Part 1

After eating, Minwu cleaned out the pot he cooked with and the bowls, too. Cantirena called up water with her magic for him to use, since no water was flowing up the cliff anytime soon. He then packed it all away inside the Item Pouch and brought everyone inside the tent, sealing it from the inside.

The tent was the same one that Cantirena and Minwu had been sharing since they started on this long journey to Minwu's homeland. Their cots were close together as both Clarisse and Candice's were a bit further apart. In the center, between all four cots sat a little lantern, lighting the tent and giving them just enough light to see. Outside, the sun was on its way down, and even though they were exhausted, they weren't really all that ready to sleep yet. Minwu sat on his cot with the book on Palamecian history on his lap, carefully rereading the pages. Candice wasn't really sure what to do, so she tried to lie down. Clarisse pulled out a sharpening stone and took to her sword. She wasn't spending much time on maintaining the sword's quality finish since Tobul remade it for her, and she knew it was good to have it be as sharp as possible. Cantirena yawned loudly, leaning against Minwu, looking over his shoulder at the book he was reading, but too tired to concentrate on the words. She put her hands around Minwu's arm, and while it distracted him momentarily, he let her do it.

Suddenly, there was a loud 'wooooo' sound from outside. It certainly wasn't the wind. It sounded much more like some sort of demented howl. Cantirena's eyes locked onto the flap which led outside, and her grip on Minwu's arm tightened considerably.

"Do not fear," he said, not looking up from his book. "You will hear that all night on these mountains."

"What is it?" Candice asked as she sat up.

"I told you. The creatures around here hunt for humans in the night," Minwu said, not letting his voice increase in volume. "They're like wolves, but much more vicious."

Cantirena tried not to shake. The sounds were getting louder.

"They will not smell you. This tent is made of a fabric that keeps our smells inside. I'm sure when we were still in the marshlands, you did not smell the incense I had burning in here," Minwu said, trying to concentrate on the book. "I made the foolish mistake of wanting to flee when I heard it my first time, as you are no doubt considering now." He lifted the bottom part of his robe, pointing at his left ankle. "It almost took my foot."

Clarisse put the sharpening stone down and looked at Minwu's leg. The scar went all the way around his ankle, looking like old, jagged claw marks. Parts of them stuck out more than others. "It's a miracle you still have your foot."

"Exactly," Minwu replied. "So you'd best do as I tell you."

Candice lifted her sleeve, showing off her arm. "If you wanna talk about scars," she said. "I got this one because I got in a fight with a dragon."

"…what were you doing, fighting with a dragon?" Clarisse asked in disbelief.

"I thought I was right," she continued, looking at the scar. "It kept going on and on about how my dad was an insult to creatures who could fly naturally, so I picked up a piece of a broken propeller and chased after it. Everyone tried to stop me from doing it. They didn't understand. That dragon was flat out insulting him, and then insulted me. And what's worse? They never believed me! I got really pissed off and tried to kill the thing."

Minwu found this story to be very strange. Candice could understand dragons? The only people who could understand dragons lived in Deist and wore special pendants that allowed them to understand the meaning of the ancient Draconic language. He looked up from the book to see that Candice was indeed wearing a beautiful sapphire pendant that always gave off a little shine no matter how little light there was.

"Excuse me," Minwu said. "Your pendant. Where did you get it?"

Candice smiled. "This was a gift from a boy I met that same day. He was so cute. We played outside near Deist castle together while our fathers were having a discussion. The dragon actually belonged to his father. He never told me where it came from or who made it. Oh did I get in a lot of trouble." She looked down at it. "The boy had the same color eyes as this pendant. His hair was brownish-blonde, hung around his shoulders. I'll never forget him or that day. I thought it was the most precious gift anyone ever gave me, so I've never taken it off."

"That sounds like the story of a long lost love," Cantirena said gently. She had this very dreamy expression on her face, but it vanished after a little while. Her fairy tale turned out to be something of a nightmare, and saying that only reminded her of it.

"I bet one day you are destined to meet again," Clarisse said, "Because you're tied together by that pendant."

_The boy was a Dragoon in training,_ Minwu thought. _Blonde hair and blue eyes are very much the typical features of those who are born in Deist. He gave her a Draconic pendant! That's… certainly foreboding._

"Fairy tale romance or not," Minwu said. "Take good care of that pendant. I sense power within it. Power that we may very well need."

"Whoa, really?" Candice asked. "That's neat. I've never thought much of it, but… I've always felt safer with it on. I hope that one day, I'll be able to see Ricard again. He certainly was a charmer."

When the sounds outside continued to grow louder, Minwu put his book away and blew out the fire within the lantern, leaving the tent in complete darkness. The group could see that there was a full moon out that night through the cloth of the tent. He looked up at that moon. It was a full moon the last time he had to deal with those malicious creatures, too.

"_You're dumber than you look if you think you can outrun those things."_

"_It's better than waiting here to be eaten alive, teacher! I'm going back to civilization, I can't take this stupid Mysidian quest of yours anymore!"_

"_Minwu, you fool!"_

At one point in time, he was a very stupid kid who knew nothing of the world. He was lucky that the student he decided to pass his lessons onto was a gentle person with the sense to listen to his wisdom, even if she was too attached for her own good. He could feel her heartbeat, and as the howls continued, the faster it went. She was legitimately scared.

That's when they saw a massive shadow against the side of the tent, in the shape of a wolf on its hind legs, sniffing the outside of the tent. The shadow was against the natural pale moonlight, making it impossible not to see clearly. The moment Cantirena was about to gasp in horror, Minwu cupped his hand over her mouth to keep her from making any sound. The creature knew humans were here, and even if they were unable to be smelled through the tent, they would be able to hear any sound. If they decided to take to the tent with their claws, well, there wouldn't be enough time or space to save all three girls. Minwu prayed silently that this would not be the case.

Clarisse leaned in to where Cantirena and Minwu were, trying to be as silent as possible. While Cantirena was against Minwu, she hugged around her little sister, who was all ready shaking.

Candice crept under her blanket. She pulled it over her head and sat there. She was afraid, but there was nothing she could do about it. She wanted to scream, she wanted to cry for her daddy's comfort, she wanted to be as far away from here as possible. Why did she come on this adventure? Wouldn't it be much safer going with her father to Deist?

The wolf circled the tent, sniffing repeatedly. It didn't leave until about twenty minutes later, and even then no one wanted to move from where they were.

"…and you're saying that those… those things… are all through these mountains?" Clarisse asked much later. "Are you _trying_ to get us killed?!"

"Shut up or it might come back again," Candice said, still hiding under her blanket. "I don't think it wants to make friends, either."

"Minwu…" Cantirena whispered, hugging around him, "Why is it so… difficult… to get to Mysidia anyway?!"

Minwu felt very put on the spot there, and he didn't like that at all. All three of them didn't like this idea, and quite frankly, he didn't either. He didn't want to go back, but there was no other way. The only place he could form a crystal would be in the most holy land in the world, and what other place was there other than the Holy Mecca itself? He wanted to shatter the Stone of Iliua, which just happened to be the stone that was creating this entire war in the first place. Everyone all ready knew why they were going to Mysidia. He wasn't going to explain it all again. He didn't have the time or the patience for that. Minwu was frustrated. He knew what he had to do, no matter what the cost. He was going to stop this war, he was going to save the lady he loved, and he was going to do it by going to Mysidia.

"It's difficult to get to Mysidia to test the possible mages. All who enter the city itself have proven themselves worthy of taking the test to enter the Circle of Mages," he said, answering his student's inquiry. "If a mage were to die, then they're automatically disqualified."

"You're saying this whole thing is just a testing ground? For… applicants who wish to join some stupid secret society within Mysidia?" Candice asked. "Of all the fucked up tests they made me take in school, this is the worst I've ever heard of. Canti, dear, are you _sure_ you still want to do this? You can back out at any point, you know."

"I don't want to go back to Altair," Cantirena said. "I want to prove I'm worthy of being my teacher's student. So no matter what happens, I have to stick with it. Even when it gets… scary. I have to be able to defend myself against anything. If the Emperor's going to come after me again, I wanna show him myself that… that… that I don't want to assist him in his world takeover. World peace doesn't mean just take it all for yourself!"

"Such unwavering determination…" Clarisse pointed out. "Don't be offended, Candice. She's always been like that. She looks scared, and she looks weak, but don't let that fool you. Cantirena's actually stronger than most people in the world."

Cantirena smiled. "I'm not stronger than anyone," she said passively. "But… I have to go to Mysidia and see it for myself. I've grown up hearing about it, and I really want to be a part of it. With you, my teacher, Lord Minwu." She reached up and poked him on the nose. "If anything gives me strength… it would be my desire to show you… that you're not a failure like you say you are, teacher."

"Me?"

"Yes, you!"

"You could have been an alchemist's apprentice, you know," Candice said. "Stay safe at home and make medicines? Sounds better than anything that Circle of Mages gig would put you through."

"Truthfully, I don't want to be a part of the Circle of Mages," Cantirena said. Minwu was a little confused, but no one could see his expression in the darkness. "Because I don't want to swear any vows that would take away my freedom. It's the same as joining up with the Emperor, you know. He wants to take things away from people. No. I don't think that's the right way to go about this life."

Minwu hugged her tighter than he was.

_You are much stronger than I, my student. I used the Circle of Mages as a way to escape my abusive teacher, and because of that, I gave up my right to live the way I wish to… _he thought peacefully. _It is because of this determination that I…_

"Lord Minwu?"

"Yes, my student?"

"Why is your heart beating so fast? Is there another one of those wolves around?"

"No, no. My thoughts have run rampant, and I… forgive me for frightening you."

_I must see everything through to the end._


	51. Ch 6, part 2

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 2

Hilda didn't have much time. She scrambled at her table, writing a few letters on parchments with the quills she could find. On them, she wrote letters to Prince Gordon, Firion, and her court mage Minwu. She put them all into her pockets of her dress before heading out of the throne room. She looked around. It was empty, save for herself and her father, who still hadn't been moved even though she gave the orders for everyone else in town to leave. She all ready destroyed her crown, because she knew that after the town was reduced to ashes, that megalomaniac Emperor would come through here looking at everything, and if there was anything she refused to hand over to him, it would be the symbol of the ruling family of Fynn.

She took in a very deep breath, looking at all the banners which hung in the halls of the rebel base. They were all black with the wild rose emblazoned on them, and they meant everything to everyone who stayed and worked inside this building that she'd grown to accept as her home. Hilda loved this place. Altair had been nothing but good to the refugees of Fynn in their time of need, and now it was going to cost them something dreadful.

"Princess!" Paul shouted as he came into the base. "Why are you not packed? The hour has almost passed!"

Hilda nodded. "I'm aware of this. Paul, please. Come with me." It took every bit of her will to not break down and cry right that moment. "My father has not been moved yet."

"Oh, why didn't you say so?" Paul asked worriedly. "Let's move the King."

Going into King Gilbert's bedchambers, they both found the old man asleep in his bed. He looked so comfortable there that neither of them wanted to move him. He was barely alive as it was, and now he was going to have to relocate yet again? It was almost too much to bear for all three of them.

"Paul," Hilda said, reaching into her pockets. "I need to give you two assignments. You have never once failed me, and I need you to do this without question. Without hesitation."

"Princess Hilda, I am more loyal to you than I-"

"Good," Hilda said. "I want these three messages delivered. This one, to Prince Gordon. This one, to Firion. And this one… to Minwu. Find them, aid them in whatever they need, Paul. You have always been the best support anyone can ever ask for."

Paul hesitantly took the three notes and put them in his three pockets. "For Gordon, Firion, and Minwu. I will do as you have commanded, Princess."

"Do you have any weaponry on you, Paul?"

"I do," Paul said, extremely weirded out by what was going on here. "For protection, of course."

"Give it to me," Hilda commanded sternly.

Paul reached into his pocket, pulling out a short sword he'd always had stashed away in case of an emergency. "Here, Princess. This is a Wing Sword."

"It will do," Hilda said. "Now go. Carry your messages once you've torched the village." She stared down at the short sword in her hand, which had a very lovely wing-shaped hilt. She felt that it was fitting. "Get out of here, Paul."

"Wait, what are you-"

"Get _out_, Paul!" Hilda shouted at him. "Leave your Princess in peace!"

"Not if you're going to use that for what I _think_ you're planning on using it for," Paul said, reaching over to take his sword back. "You're not going to die, Hilda. I will not allow you to die."

"When the Emperor comes to find out what happened here, you will be able to tell him that Fynn no longer exists," Hilda said. "Because here in a few moments, it no longer will. My father and I will be meeting with the angels, and… the rebellion lives because the three leaders of it are not here. He will come looking for me. If I am dead, he will think they are, too. That's when you can surprise the hell out of that twisted mother fucker. Paul, carry those messages to whom they are addressed. They are the three prongs of the rebellious trident in Palamecia's ass." She looked at him, her face marred with tears. "You must do as I command."

"No, Princess. You-"

Hilda looked at her father, who was sleeping so peacefully. "There's a special place in the Seventh Layer of Hell reserved for people who slay their own parents," she whispered. "So because of that, I will not be allowed to meet with my precious Scott." She rose the dagger above King Gilbert's heart.

"_**NO**_!" Paul shouted angrily.

By the time he could reach her hand, the sword was all ready through the king's heart. Blood poured out of his body, drenching the white blanket he was sleeping under. Gilbert tried to wake up out of his slumber, but Hilda withdrew the sword and ran it across her father's neck, cutting his head clean off.

"_**HILDA**_!" Paul couldn't believe what he just witnessed. "Wha… what… WHAT?!"

"You have your orders. Torch Altair. Leave nothing here. Nothing for the Emperor to claim," Hilda said, looking at the sword. "I am the seed which is planted in the ashes of rebirth."

"Princess, please," Paul begged her. "Princess, _please_ do not…"

Hilda took the sword and put it to her own neck. "Goodbye, Paul. Tell Gordon that I… was starting to love him. I was starting to see that Kashuon passion I fell in love with in the first place and…" Then a few seconds passed before she said, "No. Don't deliver that last part. It would only pain his heart. He would be better off not spending the rest of his life mourning me."

"So you should not do this."

"I have to," Hilda said, smiling. "I am the seed… which is planted… in the ashes of rebirth…"

Paul couldn't watch her do it, but he knew by the sound of the blood splattering on the floor and her body falling over. Paul let his princess die willingly, and he blamed himself. Paul turned to look upon her lovely figure. He took the sword, which was lodged straight through her neck, out very quickly. He wiped it on a nearby drape, and placed it in the hilt which was strapped to his backside.

"…v…very well, your highness," Paul said, bowing before her dead body. "I will… I will carry out your wishes. L… long…" he couldn't even say it anymore. His words stopped coming out.

_Long live the Wild Rose Rebellion_, Paul thought. _Long live Fynn! Long live Kashuon! What… what do these words even mean? What… what do these words… even __**mean**_?


	52. Ch 6, part 3

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 3

Deist was practically leveled, and Mateus decided the next place he would head was Mysidia. He longed to have his bride at his side once again, even though he knew she was no longer under the Demon King's influence. But that was all right, of course. Another week in his bed, and she would have no will to refuse, just as he did before. He relished in that power. He could have any woman he wanted, and what a joyful that was. He was the Emperor. What he wanted, he got, and that was that. He stood in the cockpit of his airship, once again lost in his thoughts, when he noticed there was smoke up ahead.

"What _is_ that?" Mateus asked. He walked out on the deck, looking below to see what could have been causing a trail of smoke. What he found what a village ablaze.

_Someone has done my work for me,_ he thought, staring at it. _Come to think of it…_

"You!" Mateus called out loudly, pointing at one of his knights.

"Sire?" the knight responded, instantly falling to his knees. "How can I be of service to you?"

Mateus rolled his eyes. What a pitiful offering. What could a lowly knight do for his lord other than die in his name to give his lord more glory? Nothing, really. "Do you know the _name_ of that village? Come, take a look."

The knight scrambled to his feet and walked over to the side of the deck. He looked down, where his Emperor directed. "Sire, I believe that is Altair."

"You _believe_?" Mateus asked.

"That's right," the knight explained himself, sounding like he was going to piss his pants out of fear for Mateus. The man had a very imposing presence. "That over there is Lake Poft. And you can sort of see the hamlet Galtea a bit north, which is right next to the much bigger Lake Fynn." He kept looking at the ground. "Altair is in the center between all of them."

"Back to your post," Mateus commanded, and the knight went back to where he was working. The Emperor stared down at the ground as they passed over it.

_This is where I had Cid's airship shot down, _Mateus thought carefully. _That insolent princess and her ragtag bunch of misfits… could they have…? _

"Pilot," he said, "Land."

…

"Goddess," Gordon cried as he hung over the side of Leila's ship. "I can't take much more of this sea…" Every time a wave came by, it knocked more fluids out of his system. Cid stood by to give the young prince some comfort, but the old pilot was more aware that unless Gordon got some rest, there was no way he'd be able to fight through anything. "It's been… urk… _four _days now…" He threw up again and said weakly, "When this is over, I'm not… setting foot… in a _port_ ever _again_…"

"You'll be all right, Prince," Cid said, trying to ease his pain. "Too bad for you we don't have our Lord Minwu with us, huh?" The older man also thought of his little Candice and wondered how she was fairing on their quest to reach the Magic Kingdom.

_Are you as brave as you've tried to act your entire life, Candice?_ Cid thought with a very nostalgic smile on his face. _To travel to Mysidia, you'll have to be as brave as a Kashuon. I know you're an asset to Minwu somehow. I can't help but think by the time I see you next, you'll be a full adult, ready to set out on your own journey. And… that makes me happy._

"…Minwu said he didn't know… urp… any spells for… seasickness…" Gordon said before hurling once again. "I don't _want_ to see another boat ever again!"

Firion had no problem getting some shut-eye. He ended up taking a position at the Crow's nest up with First Mate Pluie, who didn't really like the young silver haired rebel very much. Pluie wanted to rob the people blind, not help them on their way.

"Land, ho!" Leila called out from the steering wheel. She pointed straight ahead.

"Yer right, cap'n!" Pluie said. "All hands on deck, prepare to weigh anchor! Git yer rumps in gear, ya silly sacks o' shit!" Ten pirates came out from below, doing all sorts of things to prepare the boat to hit land.

Gordon couldn't do anything. All he could do was stare at the sea. A few moments after hearing Pluie make his call, Gordon saw pieces of scrap wood floating in the water.

_Ships don't normally come out this far_, Gordon thought. _What's… other boat pieces doing here?_

"Hey, Miss Leila…" Gordon said.

"What's up, sugar?" Leila replied. "Land's right there, darlin'. Ya can rest all ya want when we hit land. You've been a brave lad, stickin' it with us all this time."

"That's nice of you to say, milady, but… can you tell me exactly why there are pieces of driftwood in the sea?" Gordon asked, trying to resist throwing up again. "We've not seen another ship for days."

Leila looked down at the water. "Land sakes, yer right, Princey," she said. "There's wood everywhere!"

"_**OI**_!" a voice called from nearby. "Can you give a man a hand?"

"Who was that?" Firion asked, looking around. "Hey! Over there! There's a man clinging to a piece of wood."

Leila's pirates all worked together to bring the man aboard. He was a knight, clad in dark armor with a Draconic Emblem on the chest. Strapped to his back was a spear, and out of his helmet, which was shaped like a dragon head, fell a lovely blonde ponytail which was extended down to his thigh.

"Many thanks, fellow travelers," the knight said, bowing his head.

"What happened?" Cid asked.

"I was traveling back home after having been on a training journey for the last two months," the dragon knight answered. He had a relaxed, honorable sounding voice. It was very soothing to listen to. "It was to be my homecoming, as I'd prepared myself to finally take the Dragoon's Honor exam and become a full fledged Dragoon. But… as the ship I was on came closer to Deist, there was this flying boat in the sky…"

"The Emperor!" Firion said angrily as he climbed down from the crow's nest. "So he's here, then…!"

"No," the dragon knight continued. "The flying boat has since left and headed to the west. But I have not been able to reach the island, as the currents keep pushing me away. I fear for the Dragons. The only time the currents refuse entry to anyone is what the Dragons have become angry."

"We'll take you there," Firion said. "We're here to meet with the Dragoons."

"You are?" the knight asked, confused.

"We are," Cid said. "This young seasick man here is Prince Gordon of Kashuon. I'm Cid Palledina, inventor of the airship and white knight of Fynn. That is Firion, one of the bravest contributors to the Wild Rose Rebellion. We come on behalf of Princess Hilda of Fynn."

"That's wonderful," the knight said. Even though it was impossible to see under his helmet, he was smiling. "I am Ricard Highwind, Dragoon-in-training, and I humbly welcome you brave warriors to the island of Deist, home of Dragons."

"Nice ta meecha," Leila said, rather annoyed that no one bothered to introduce her to the new guy. She did not moving from her steering wheel. "C'mon, you blokes! There ain't no current we can't sail!"

Cid extended his hand to Richard. "Don't mind the lass. She may not look it, but she's the best sailor ever come out of…" he trailed off, not wanting to mention the name of her hometown. "…anywhere, really. Though, keep an eye on your gil. She's got _bad_ habits."

"I _heard_ that, boss," Leila said, pulling her long purple windblown hair from her face. "So, the Dragon's Island wants to keep Captain Leila out? Oh, not on your life!" She took her ship and aimed straight for the island. "Ya'll might wanna hold on ta somethin'."

Ricard took Cid's hand and shook it with a nice, strong, manly handshake. "You do not have to worry about that. I carry no gil on me. Everything was lost at sea except my favorite spear."

Gordon couldn't believe how fast the ship was going. He thought he had everything under control, but he ended up hurling over the side a few more times. "Goddess, if we make it out of this mess, I swear I will live by your teachings until the day I… urp… die…"


	53. Ch 6, part 4

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 4

Cantirena rubbed her eyes. She remembered falling asleep against Minwu, but she had no idea how long she'd been asleep. The sun was on its way up, and the light poured through the cloth tent. She sat up, noticing that everyone else was still sleeping. It was curious to notice that she woke up before everyone. Typically, Minwu let her sleep the latest. She dare not venture outside without anyone, especially considering the sun wasn't up completely, and it was hard to shake the jitters from that wolf-like creature from last night.

She pulled herself to a stand, stretching upward as far as she could. Cantirena was not typically a morning person, but something felt different about today.

_My lady_, a voice echoed through her mind. _You have heard me call out to you. I am overjoyed to see you awake._

"Huh?" she asked. "Who's there?"

_You don't remember my voice? Now you've gone and broken my tender heart._

Cantirena looked around. There wasn't anyone but her two sleeping sisters and Minwu inside the tent. This was more than freaky.

"The Emperor," she said.

_I much preferred it when you affectionately called me 'Your Grace', but it brings a smile to my face to know that you remember me. Yes, I am the Emperor of this world, and your beloved. I know where you're going, and I can see through your eyes. Minwu has done a magnificent job breaking the Demon King's possession. I commend the man for what he has done, but your journey is at an end, my lovely lady. It is time for you to come home._

"I… I don't belong to you!" Cantirena shouted angrily. "Get out of my head!"

Instantly, Minwu shot straight up. He ran to his student's side. "What is it?" he asked. "Come here, let me take a look at you."

She turned to look at her teacher. "He's in my _head_," she said. "He's _talking_ to me… in my _**head**_."

_The healer might be a great man of wonderful talent, but he cannot keep you from me._

"Shut up, Mateus!" Cantirena screamed, making both of her sisters come out of their cots in a hurry.

_How rude of you to call me by my birth name! I do not wish to have to punish you, my lady. That would not be in your best interest._

"Telepathy," Minwu said. "He's talking to you through your mind? There's no other explanation. And here I thought that was a technique reserved for men blessed by the Goddess herself." He put his arms around Cantirena, making her face him. "Mateus, if you can hear me, I want you to know that when I see you, I will not hesitate to _kill_ you. You have caused my student, and the world, enough harm to deserve it."

"Exactly what's going on here?" Clarisse asked.

"I'm not quite sure myself," Candice answered.

_I accept your challenge, White Mage Minwu. But, when I have you cornered and unable to escape, I'm going to __**fuck **__your student right in front of you until you beg me to kill __**you..**__. Well, I suppose I'll let you get along with your day, my lady. Know that I am on my way, once I investigate the ruins of what used to be Altair. It seems even the rebels had enough of the rebellion, too. Be well, Cantirena._

When the presence had left her mind, Cantirena fell over onto Minwu. He hugged her close. "Tell me what happened," he said. "Let's talk this out before we do anything else."

She took comfort in his presence. "I woke up much earlier than usual," she said. "It was strange because I never wake up early."

"Yeah, you're the heaviest sleeper I've ever met," Clarisse said. "You and Firi both could sleep through a multi-Flare fallout."

Cantirena continued. "And then I heard his voice, saying that he was glad that he was able to wake me from my sleep, like he had been trying to. The conversation wasn't much until he said that he is on his way. He may not be able to sense my presence anymore, but when he tries, he says he can see through my eyes. Because of that, he knows where we are."

"Now that's stalking," Candice said with a frown. "He doesn't even have to physically follow you like the normal kind."

"There's a _normal_ kind of stalker?" Clarisse asked as she crossed her arms.

"Most of them are deranged, but typically they're not connected to your brain like the Emperor just happens to be connected to Canti at the moment," Candice explained.

"But… that's not what scares me the most," Cantirena said, closing her eyes. "He… said that Altair is in ruins."

"_**ALTAIR**_?!" Minwu, Clarisse, and Candice all gasped at the same time.

"…that's what he said," Cantirena muttered.

"Don't believe him. He's a monster," Candice said forcefully. "He just wants to psych you out. Stalkers are like that. They want control over every aspect of you, including your fear levels."

"It… sounds like you've got knowledge of this," Minwu thought aloud. "Have you… stalked anyone before?"

"No, but I have dealt with a few in my time," Candice said. She sounded somewhat proud of that, but truthfully, she wasn't. Stalkers were scary business, and just talking about it again sent shivers down her spine that she'd rather not explain to anyone. "So, now we have undeniable proof that the Emperor is obsessed with Canti to an unhealthy level. Well. Not like we didn't all ready have that in mind, of course. My big question, and I even asked this of Paul when we were in Palamecia together… this is what gets me about the great Emperor or whatever he likes to call himself... Exactly what does he have to gain by marrying a village girl like Cantirena? No offense to you, Canti."

"None taken," Cantirena said. "Well, he and I did meet before the fall of Fynn, back when he was just a prince. I… made the foolish mistake of falling in love at first sight with Mateus. He was the most handsome man I'd ever seen in my life, his voice made my heart melt, his speech was inspiring during that council. When I got to talk to him, he was so nice to me. He was polite, even to a little mage-in-training like me."

"I do not believe that he also fell in love with you," Minwu said very gently. "He, like I did when I first met you, must have sensed your incredible magic potential. My student, I am of the belief that he manipulated your heart so you would work for him. I… find it very hard to believe that royalty would ever consider a village girl for a wife, especially with a prestigious family like that of Palamecia's."

"That's what I thought," Candice said. "Bingo! That man is trying to use you, Canti. You better not go back to him, I'll kill you myself over that stupidity."

"I'll help her!" Clarisse added. "With fuckin' bazooka spells and shit. Castin' Flare everywhere like I just don't care, because at that point, I won't."

"You don't even know any spells," Cantirena retorted. "So shut your trap."

"Oh I'll learn 'em. I'll learn 'em _all_." Clarisse said. "Minwu will be _my_ teacher and he'll teach me how to blow you to kingdom come to show you how dumb you are for going back to an abusive psychopath."

"Minwu is _**my**_ teacher! Go get your own!"

"I think if you go back to the Emperor, you're giving up your position as Minwu's student," Clarisse said. "So you better think about that before considering."

Cantirena hugged onto Minwu. "I'm not sharing my teacher."

Minwu just shrugged in response. "You're such a selfish girl, aren't you?" he asked, putting his arms around her in turn. "You don't want to share me with anyone in any way. I can give lessons to your sisters without implications of other things. If we must fight you in the future, then… yes, I will teach them how to beat you so we can bring you back home."

"See?!" Candice asked. "He knows what we're talking about!"

"It's not like we're out to steal your lover," Clarisse said. "I mean, I know Minwu's a hottie under all that turban and robes, but I'm not gonna take your _man_ from you, that's just wrong."

"Is that what you're afraid of?" Candice asked. "Don't worry, don't worry! We might learn spells from him, but we're not going to learn the Karma Sutra from him! I am not a man stealer, honey!"

"You two are terrible…"

All three girls laughed, diffusing the tension left behind after that unique experience.

"By the way… teacher, he… accepted your challenge," Cantirena said, gripping onto him tighter than she had been.

"I bet he did. He's a pompous man."

"And… a cruel one," she whispered, pulling him down so she could whisper the rest in his ear. She would dare not say the rest of that out loud.

Suddenly, Minwu's peaceful face turned vengeful. "Come, the day has just started. We must continue our quest towards Mysidia. If we plan it just right, by the end of the day, we should find the jungles very soon."


	54. Ch 6, part 5

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 5

Altair was nothing but ashes. There were no people, no buildings, nothing. The only thing that still stood upright was the water fountain, and even it had pieces missing. Paul was the only person left behind, and he was hidden up in a tree about one hundred feet away, sobbing his heart out when he heard the sound of an airship coming in for a landing.

_It worked,_ he thought, wiping his face. _But… but she didn't have to…!_

The airship did indeed belong to the Empire. That flag was unmistakable. The one person who came out of it was the Emperor. He didn't even bring any knights out with him, and that seemed very strange. Paul could see very well that His Imperial Majesty was looking around everywhere for something that would give him conclusive evidence that the rebels were gone.

"I do not appreciate those who lurk in the shadows," Mateus called out. "I can sense you. Come out."

Paul believed that the Emperor was addressing him, but no, he found someone else. A little blue-green haired girl who looked barely over fourteen, Paul knew her. She was at the party after Cantirena's healing. She was Master Tobul's granddaughter, Krystal!

_Oh __**shit**__, _Paul thought, hopping down silently from the tree. _The hell is she __**doing**__ here?!_

Coincidentally, that was the same question Mateus had for the girl as well.

"May I ask you what you're doing here?" he asked her quietly. "Speak up, little one."

Krystal fell to her knees. "I came because… this is my home," she cried. "Because I don't want to move again…"

Mateus wasn't the type to care for children and certainly not the ones that were stubborn about things. She was a tiny little thing, though. "Do you have a family?" he asked.

Paul was sweating bullets._ If she even mentions Galtea, we're fucked…_

"N…no," she answered. "My Grandfather kicked me out of his home… and my parents are dead…"

_Master Tobul did __**WHAT**_? Paul thought, creeping closer. _He wouldn't ever do that!_

Mateus shook his head sadly. "If no one will miss you, I will do you a favor," he said, raising his hand. He started to charge up a spell, which made Krystal put her forehead into the dirt, shaking with fear.

_Not another!_ Paul thought angrily. _Not another on my watch!_

Paul leapt out of the trees, pulling a shuriken out of his pocket and tossing it at the Emperor's hand. "Hey," he shouted. "Pick on someone your own size!"

Mateus turned to look at the ninja, clad in all black except for the lovely yellow scarf he had tied around his neck. He caught the shuriken with the hand he was casting with, dropping it on the ground. "…did you write that _yourself_?" he asked mockingly.

"Nope," Paul said, getting into battle position. He drew the Wing Sword into his left hand and had plenty more shuriken-knives in his right. "I stole that from a fairy tale. Catchphrases are not my strong suit, Your Majesty. Leave the girl alone. If you want something to kill, try taking me out."

"I remember _you_," Mateus said, slowly walking away from the cowering Krystal. "Were you planning on sneaking aboard my ship again?"

"Wow, wrong again," Paul said, staring the tall sorcerer down. "Actually, I wasn't planning on letting you know I was here, but… I can't let any girls die while I'm around. It's… something of a promise I made."

"Were you here when Altair burned to the ground?" Mateus asked.

"Was I here?" Paul asked, shrugging. "Are you kidding? I torched the place myself."

"Isn't that surprising," Mateus thought aloud, walking closer. "You are a crafty man. I commend you for your courage to face me, when the matter did not concern you. Will you work for me?"

Paul wanted to scream at the man who posed that question. Of all the things to ask! The problem was, he wanted to make sure Krystal survived. He wanted to make sure Princess Hilda's sacrifice meant something. And… this gave him a chance to mess things up on the inside.

"Well?" Mateus asked. "Will you work for me?"

"Aye, Your Majesty," Paul said, bowing his head, "On one condition."

"What is it do you wish? Wealth? Land? Hereditary Titles? Women?"

Paul shook his head very carefully. "I'm a real simple man, sire. I'm only gonna ask you to spare that girl's life."

"But the poor thing has no family," Mateus said. "I would rather not see her starve and suffer alone, so it is best that I show her _mercy_."

"But…" Paul had to think of something. "I… If it please you, let me take her."

"You _fancy_ this girl?" Mateus asked. "I sincerely doubt she's even bled yet."

"Just imagine what she'll be like when she has," Paul said. "I will take her as my payment for working for you. If… if you approve." He put all of his weaponry away.

_I am so sorry, Krystal. I did not mean for it come to this… _he thought. _I swear that I will see you home._

Mateus nodded. "Very well. Bring your lovely bride on board. I have a mission to complete and not much time to do it in," he said. "When we return to Palamecia, she will be seen to properly." The Emperor turned to go back into his ship.

"Thank you very much, Your Majesty," Paul said. He walked over to Krystal and pulled her up. "Come along now. I just saved your life, missy. Please don't make this any harder than it has to be."

Krystal looked up at Paul, who was probably an entire fifteen years older than she was. He looked older than almost anyone in the entire rebellion, except for Cid. She couldn't believe he even made an offer like that to the Emperor. "Are… you going to sell me to him, like you did your beliefs?" she asked very quietly.

"I didn't sell him anything. I did it to save your life." Paul retorted. "What were you doing out here by yourself?"

"Fancy you should ask that question, you lousy no-good traitor," Krystal said. When she got up, she slapped him across the face. "I'm not going aboard a ship that belongs to the Emperor, Paul! That man got my parents killed! That man destroyed our home, not once, but _twice_."

"You will if you want to survive," Paul snatched her arm. "I'm not doing this to capture you. I'm doing this to protect you. And if you just understood what I went through the last day or so, you'd understand _**why**_." He led her onto that ship, even though she resisted. His volume never went above a whisper. "Listen to me. If you don't want the Emperor to turn you into a skid mark in the dust, you'll do as you're told. You will go home. Maybe not today, maybe not in a week, but I swear I will get you home to Master Tobul."

"Trouble between lovebirds…" Mateus almost laughed at that. It was so clear that Paul saved a girl that didn't want his saving. He found it entertaining, if nothing else. "…will only create issues later on."

"There is no trouble," Krystal said quietly, bowing her head down. "F-forgive me."

"There is nothing to forgive, considering that finding you was of _use_ after all," Mateus said. "Take your lovely bride to rest, then we will talk over everything…"

"Sire, my name is Paul," Paul said.

"…I do not _care_ of your names," Mateus grunted at him. "But… I will keep it in mind."


	55. Ch 6, part 6

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 6

At first, it was marshland. They weren't so bad, what with the miles of absolutely nothing but holes in the ground filled with mud. No creatures to hunt, but no creatures that would smell you and try to eat you if you weren't in some smell-proof shelter by sundown, either. And, now, it was mountains. Well, no, more like a cliff. Cantirena's observation the day before was right on the mark, and at that point, Clarisse and Candice both were very tired of making an entirely vertical climb. But, not all hope was lost, as Cantirena loved to remind the group, because they came closer to the top.

"Hey, look," Cantirena said as she pulled herself up onto the last ledge she could see. "You can see the whole world from up here."

"I don't want to see the whole world," Candice grumbled. "I want to get back to civilization at some point." She was on the ledge moments after Cantirena was, and the two of them helped Clarisse up, then Minwu.

The four of them were taken aback by the beautiful landscape. Minwu was right. There was large jungle straight ahead of them. It looked like a sea of trees that waved with the wind, much like ocean waves. Skies were clear, not a single cloud above them. In the distance, there was a small town which sat right next to a large body of water.

"Is… is that Mysidia?" Cantirena asked, pointing at it.

"It is," Minwu answered. "That is the Holy Mecca itself, the one and only Mysidia."

"Whoa," Clarisse breathed out in amazement. "How long do you think it'll take us to get there?"

"I believe that we should arrive in Mysidia within a day or two, provided we aren't slowed down by anything," Minwu said, giving a slight nod. He wasn't very happy about this, but he sounded like he was.

"I only have one question before we keep going," Candice asked. "Since I'm not trying to take this mage-entrance exam or what not, why is Mysidia treating me like I am? I mean, I'm just going along for the ride, right?"

"Oh, silly Candice," Minwu said, starting to walk along. "The Circle of Mages believes that if you are not coming because you are a student of its teachings, then you are an invader, and thus must be kept out to preserve the Mysidian way."

Candice groaned dejectedly as she followed him. She wasn't an invader! When she got to Mysidia, she felt like she was going to have to give a very passionate speech to this mage group about trusting outsiders. It was almost too much to bear.

No longer were they on a mountain. It seemed as if they had actually climbed a plateau, which make walking forward much easier.

"Wait a minute," Clarisse said. "I just noticed something."

"You have?" Minwu asked. He didn't stop walking. He knew that once they made it to Mysidia everything was going to be all right. He would create, or maybe even find, a crystal to be able to shatter that damn Stone of Iliua. If Mateus followed them to Mysidia, then he might be able to break the Emperor free of the grasp of the Demon King first before taking it to Palamecia and ending this war forever.

"Is… is Mysidia in the center of a giant crater, or something?" she kept looking around. "You called them Winding Mountains, Minwu, but they really didn't wind that much into themselves. It looks more like we climbed the wall of a bowl, and everything sinks to where that big lake is. It looks very much like a really big crater."

"That's not a lake," Minwu answered. "That is the ocean. The Mysidian sea, to be precise. The mountains circle the entire sea, save for one place. The ships pass through there."

"We could have taken… _ships_." Candice looked ready to smack Minwu a good few times. "We _could_ have _sailed_ to Mysidia?! I swear, Minwu you like to make life difficult on purpose!"

"Heavens no," Minwu kept walking. "I'm talking about the Ghost ships."

"Those aren't just fairy tales?"

"Certainly not," Minwu said. "When we die, the ships take our souls to the realm of the afterlife." He turned to see that Cantirena was right there, but she hadn't been saying much of anything. Usually she was the first to ask questions and draw conclusions. "Cantirena, you had better study what's around you. I will quiz you on these things later."

Cantirena just looked at the dirt beneath her feet. "You should have warned me before we started this journey, Lord Minwu, I would have taken notes," she said almost passively. She didn't seem to have much emotions behind her words.

"You are not acting like yourself," Minwu said. "Have you nothing to say about this part of the world that you've never been to? You said yourself that you were excited to come here."

"Oh, I am…"

"Then what troubles you?"

She put her hands over her heart. "Minwu," she said very quietly. "I need you to promise me something before we go any further."

"I need you to tell me what's on your mind before I can," he said.

She didn't want to say anything. It hurt too damn much. "Promise me that you will not die," Cantirena said sternly. "Minwu, you must promise me, or I will not take another step further."

"My dear, it is the destiny of all men to die some day," Minwu said. "I cannot promise you that."

She sat down on the ground. "Then I'm not going anywhere."

"Cantirena…" Minwu sounded very annoyed by this. "You know it goes against Mysidian teachings-"

"This… this isn't about the Mysidian teachings," Cantirena snapped at him. "This is about _you_. I know what the scriptures say. And… And I know that you have lived by them for so long that you can't live any other way, but…" Her anger gave way to tears. "…but if you go in there and you confess about anything, they'll put you to death. If they find out anything about… about _us_, they'll put you to death for being an oath breaker, and… I couldn't bear that. If I don't have you as a rock to cling to, then I'm going to…"

"You aren't going to go back to Mateus," Minwu said gently. "No matter what happens to me."

"No, it matters what happens to you," Cantirena cried. "I need your support. I'm empty without it."

Candice couldn't take any more of this. She snatched Cantirena's wrist and forced her to stand. "It's time to stop," she said. "Really. You cling to your teacher like he's your missing father, and then you want to sit there and act like you're some kind of star-crossed lovers. Are you an adult, Canti? Minwu's not the only person in this world who cares about you, and he's not the only person in this world you care about, either. I understand that you're afraid. I understand that you don't know what to expect. That's perfectly all right. You've never been there before, and I hear they've got some very strict laws. But you can't do this. Minwu can't be the reason why you stand up for yourself, Canti. You have to stand up for yourself for _you_ or it's all meaningless." Candice wrapped her arms around Cantirena. "He knows you love him, and you know he loves you. Sometimes, that's all you have to go on."

Clarisse was really impressed with that. She never had the courage to tell Cantirena anything like that before. She let her younger sister cling to anyone she could, even though it hurt her in the long run, and she felt bad about that. She wanted to add a follow up, but Candice put everything perfectly.

_She's right,_ Clarisse thought. _You can't save the world if the only reason you want to fight back is because of one person. It takes… much more drive than that. A self preservation, if nothing else._

Cantirena pulled away from Candice after a few minutes, dried her tears, and dusted off her dress. "Damn it," she said. "Why… why do you both always have to make more sense than me?"

"We're older than you," Clarisse said with a grin. "I think that's what it is."

"Maybe by a few minutes," Cantirena grunted. "We're triplets. Hell, we don't even know if we were born in a normal way, because… you know, our mother is a Goddess or _something_." She tried to keep a smiling face, but it was hard. She turned to start walking again, and when she caught up with Minwu, she didn't even turn to look at him, though she wanted to.

Minwu took the initiative, reaching over and taking her hand into his. He then leaned over and whispered in her ear, "I do not _wish _to die. If I can keep myself alive, then I will do it no matter what. I cannot promise that I will not die… but I will promise that if I can live, I will fight for it. Can you accept that?"

She smiled and kept walking, gripping his hand tighter.

_I accept that_, Cantirena thought. _I… I love you, Minwu. Not just as my teacher, not just as a father-figure replacement. I… truly do love you, and I want to spend the rest of my life studying magic as your student and your bride. If you will fight to keep yourself alive, then I will, too. I'm… not a slave. I'm a person. I can make my own decisions… and Mateus will have to accept that, too. _


	56. Ch 6, part 7

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 7

Leila had one heck of a time getting that boat across the currents, and Gordon had one heck of a time barfing until he could finally face plant himself into land. The moment his feet hit soil, he fell to his knees, praising the Goddess for relief while in tears. He let himself lay back on the solid ground and closed his eyes. Oh man, he needed a good nap.

"I am not sure as to why he is celebrating," Ricard said to Cid. "The only way off of this island is through the sea, and I doubt he will live here in the land of Dragons."

Cid nodded. "Let the prince react his own way," he said, watching Gordon stretch out on the rocks while Leila and her pirates did everything they could to secure their ship. The waves were terribly bad, and the tide was in. Last thing they wanted was to see their ship carried out while they were exploring the island. "The young man has been through hell. He's keeping himself together far better than any of us expected him to."

"Been through hell, you say?" Ricard asked. "The world is at war. I believe we all have gone through our own personal hell. Those of us who love have what we love ripped from us. Those of us who struggle to save something tend to lose exactly what they struggle to save." He looked at the icon on his armor. "I only hope that his hell will be less punishing than the one I face."

Cid could only agree with that, too. He noticed Firion tried to give Gordon some comfort, but the Prince wanted none of his affirmative words. Firion ended up standing up and shrugging, walking over to the two gentlemen who carried themselves like old knights who had retired in days long past.

"What are you two scheming?" Firion asked. "So, Ricard! We know absolutely nothing about this island. Where's the capital, who leads you, and what should we expect when we get there? Are the cultures different here? Princess Hilda told us nothing except get our asses to Deist, and after meeting you, I feel a bit unprepared for it."

"In my time abroad, I have realized that there is not much which divides the people outside and the people inside Deist," Ricard said quietly. "The truth of it is that the only thing which separates us from the outside is the existence of the dragons. Our capital is Deist Castle, and we are ruled by a high queen who rides upon the Mother Dragon who raises all of the young ones as her own. I will introduce you to our Queen Prism Emberglow."

Firion liked the sound of that name. It was unlike any he'd ever heard of. Prism Emberglow? Wow. Now _that _was a royal name! Though, when he stopped to think about it, Ricard even said that he had a second name too: Highwind. Firion didn't have a family name or a second name. He was just Firion. Even if Ricard said there was no difference between cultures, he could detect a very large difference right there. Only important people, people like royalty or knights or something of that nature, had second names where he came from. But here was a man that sounded like he had the rank of a squire with a second name of his own. Firion was kind of jealous about that. It made Ricard sound important. It made everyone sound important. Cid had a second name, too. Maybe it was because he was a knight that he had a name?

"Firion?" Ricard asked, calling the young rebel from his thoughts. "Are you all right?"

"I was just thinking about what kind of person someone has to be to have a name like Prism Emberglow," Firion answered. "It's unlike any other name I've heard before."

"Ah," Ricard said. "Come, as we travel, I will explain things to you since you seem so interested in knowing about how Deist culture works. Is… is the prince going to be all right? Should we not bring him with us?"

Gordon had fallen asleep where he lay. Leila was over there trying to wake him up.

"Poor guy," Cid said. "Hey, Leila! Can you babysit our prince while we go to the capital and make our presence known?"

"Aye, boss," Leila answered, giving him a two-finger salute. "Everything will be fine over here." She sounded quite cheerful about it.

"All right. We'll tell them you're coming, so when he wakes up, I want you to follow us," Cid gave the order. "And _do __**not**_pick the Prince's pockets!"

Leila groaned. "Oh all right then…"

Deist was an island that had a lot of lush grassland. In the center of the island was a lake which did not connect to the ocean. Right next to the castle stood the great Dragon Mountain, which Ricard found to be empty of the usual cries and screeches made by the dragons any time of day. In fact, there were no dragoons training in the sky on the backs of their partners, either. The island felt very empty, and this worried the dragoon in training.

"When you are born, your parents give you a name, yes?" Ricard asked, turning to look at Firion. "Your parents named you Firion. My parents named me Ricard, so on and so forth. But we are not born with second names. We have them given to us. We earn them. In Deist, the greatest honor is having a name that depicts your best achievements. In your home, you may receive medals to commemorate your work, but no. Not here." He stopped for a moment, sniffing upward. There was smoke on the breeze. "Our Queen gained the name 'Emberglow', just as I earned the name 'Highwind'."

"What did you do to earn that name?" Cid asked. "Last names where I come from are adopted from the father. If the father has one, then his children carry on that name."

"Hmm," Ricard mused. "I believe it was the day when I rode the wind to fight off a dragon that was terrorizing a little blue haired girl. I was able to use my spear and fly upon a breeze to stop it. I was rewarded with my second name, 'Highwind'. Queen Prism's mother, the late Queen Emerald Snowbreeze, said it was an honor to give me such a name"

"A blue haired girl?" Firion asked. "Is there _another_ one out there that we don't know about?" He remembered Clarisse, Cantirena, and Candice. Was there a fourth? No, Minwu said that the legends were clear on there only being three.

"I was here at one time with my daughter a long time ago," Cid said. "She has blue hair… wait. Was that little boy… _you_?"

Ricard couldn't believe what he heard. "Is your daughter… Candice?"

"That's right," Cid said. "Well met, young man. I didn't recognize you, what with the armor and all."

Ricard shook his head, reaching up to lift off his helmet. His beautiful hair fell about his face, striking blue eyes shining right at the older gentleman. He looked like he could be one of the most handsome men to walk the world, though he did bear a bit of a frown. "Do I look more familiar now?" he asked.

"I can see it now, yes," Cid said, watching the knight put his helmet back on. "Why do you wear that constantly?"

"The dragons do not like being owned by ones with human faces. We wear their faces to make contact with them easier," Ricard explained.

As they came closer to the castle, they could not just smell the smoke. They could see it. The group ran for the town gates as quickly as possible. What they found was a mostly crumbled castle, houses turned to ash, and thousands of dead bodies littered the place. Dragons, dragoons, knights, people of all ages and genders lie dead.

"Your Highness?!" Ricard screamed. "Queen Prism?! Are you here?!" He ran off by himself, leaving Cid and Firion at the town gate. "Mother? Anyone? Is… is _**anyone**_ still here?!"

"Not another one," Cid said under his breath. "Another nation… reduced to dust."

Firion couldn't hold his tears back. Watching Ricard frantically search the place was disheartening. "…Goddess… _why_… why… what are we even… fighting for?"


	57. Ch 6, part 8

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 8

Cantirena walked with her head held high. She was quiet, but holding Minwu's hand, she didn't feel like there was much to say. The jungle was getting thicker as the group headed in the direction of the town they saw in the distance, and the further they went into the brush, the harder it was to see ahead. It suddenly became more humid and monsters started appearing more regularly. But she didn't waver. Cantirena had found some sort of confidence, and she prayed to the Goddess that she was able to keep it.

But behind Minwu and Cantirena, the other two sisters were having a lively conversation as they kept going forward.

"And so I told him, 'there ain't no man alive that can pull that shit off'," Candice said with this very silly expression her face. "The guy, drunk off his ass, got so mad he ended up betting me a full thousand gil that he could do it… and he totally _lost_. I'd never encountered a bigger idiot in my entire life."

Clarisse couldn't hold back her laughter. "How do you get _into_ situations like this?"

"Oh, trust me, you don't _want_ to know the answer to that question," Candice sad. "Poft's not the safest of places, if you know what I mean. Paloom's a little nicer, but not by much. When you're surrounded constantly by smugglers, pirates, and slave traders, well, you tend to learn to play along so they don't outsmart you." All of a sudden, her short skirt and low collar made a lot more sense. She carried herself like she lived among the troubled people of the world, but she didn't really have that kind of attitude when talking to everyone in the party.

"Is that how you got into the… plundering profession?"

"I don't _plunder_." Candice retorted sharply. "Listen, the only reason why I have daggers on me is because we were rushed out of Altair so fast I couldn't get to the weapon's shop. Paul gave me these to defend myself and help out in battle. Truthfully, I'm an archer and I prefer to stand far the hell away from any assailant, thanks." She shrugged. "The last time I had a bow, it was taken from me so I could be sent to the damn slave labor camp outside the Palamecian capital."

That caught Cantirena's attention. She remembered walking out from the Dreadnaught, greeting Mateus, and looking around, down from the side of the mountain. There was a training ground right next to the castle, and there was a large wall which separated the training grounds from the fields. Small shacks littered the area. That was a _slave camp_? She had no idea how the Emperor ran things, even though she stayed in the castle for a while. It terrified her to think about it. She helped him. She helped the Emperor. It made her mind spark with all sorts of visions – things she'd done with her own hands. It made her hands tremble. Cantirena could feel the energies in her body react to the thoughts that ran across her mind. It was so easy to shoot of magic that could kill. With one swipe of her hand, she could kill. Part of her wanted to indulge that, but a voice pulled her right out of it.

"You're lost in thought again," Minwu said, squeezing her hand.

"It's hard not to be," Cantirena said gently. "A lot happened between Fynn's massacre and when I woke up in Altair. Even though I have control of my mind and memories again, there are times when… when I feel this urge to…"

"Unleash the powers _he_ brought out of you," Minwu finished her sentence. "It confused me at first. You were my student. Except for the very basics, I did not teach you how to wield black magic. I showed you just enough. When I first found you, you had a shell spell protecting you from the burning building. You had so much spirit, the light needed to use white magic to the fullest potential. But you used a full scale Firaga in our first battle together after coming home from his grasp. The highest level fire spell was nothing but child's play to you."

Cantirena sighed. "You are right. I know all sorts of elemental magic. You didn't teach me how to use them. When I woke up… when I woke up after lying in the Emperor's bed for days, I… I felt the magic inside of me. And I needed to use them. I needed to use them on _people_."

"That was the Demon King's influence. It was not you," Minwu said very reassuringly. "You were never a violent student. You were never a violent person. Growing up, your heart was nothing but gentle and peaceful… You were to be my successor in the powers of White Magic, but I've not seen you cast a single cure spell since we've been reunited."

"I… I hate to have to tell you this, but…" she sighed. "I… I've forgotten how."

Minwu stopped walking, bringing the whole party to a halt. "You really have forgotten how to cast a cure spell?" he asked.

"Yes, I have," she said sadly. "When I realized that I couldn't cast cure anymore, I…"

"Wait. You either forgot how to do it, or you just simply can't do it. Which is it?" Minwu asked. "Answer me, my student!" His eyes seemed filled with nothing but worry.

Cantirena closed her eyes. She put her hands together, as she always did when she cast cure spells before. Her body started to feel the peaceful, light-based aura required for casting healing magic, but when she started to bring it forth, to actually cast the spell, the light vanished and the aura dissipated completely. "I can't do it anymore," she said, her mood not improving whatsoever. "I'm the failure, not you."

Minwu shook his head. "Think nothing of it. You're not here to take the graduation exam, so it should not matter."

_Healing magic depends on the spirit_, Minwu thought. _It appears that she hasn't forgotten how to use it, but her spirit is broken to a point to where she cannot muster the healing light anymore._

"The very first line in the Mysidian Tome of Mages is 'The light of cure comes from within'," Cantirena said, starting to walk again. "Even when I was under the influence of the Demon King, I never forgot that. In fact, it… triggered a lot of flashbacks when I first remembered it after discovering the black magic." She didn't wait for anyone to catch up to her.

_It only means that my spirit is broken, _Cantirena thought. _That what I've done weighs so heavily on my heart that… I don't have light inside anymore. I gave it up. Willingly._

"Don't get all worked up over it," Candice said cheerfully. "Cantirena will heal. Give it time. She's not been back from Palamecia, what a week? Think of it… like… when someone quits smoking. The thoughts and habits are going to be there for a long time. She's not a broken _person_, Minwu." As she walked past Minwu, she put a hand on his shoulder. "She just needs our love and support. That's all."

"Wow, Candi, that's pretty deep," Clarisse said. "You sound like a chapter from a self-help booklet."

"I'm only speaking from experience," she said, flipping her hair back. "If it wasn't for my dad's constant support, I wouldn't have broken away from the shadows that chased me for a very long time. We all have a type of darkness that we have to fight against. It's not the same for everybody, but the solution is always the same. Be there for whoever needs us the most, and we'll always come out on top!"

Minwu smiled underneath his mask. "I appreciate your reassurance. Thank you for your words of wisdom."

"Hey, you're in love with my sister, right?" Candice asked. "That practically makes you my brother!"

"…in love," Minwu whispered. "I'm not sure if-"

"Oh yeah, because you were making out with Cantirena in the tent while you were alone because you wanted to offer her comfort," Clarisse said bluntly. "Of course. That's the logical way to offer comfort, right?"

"But I-"

"Oh, Minwu! Don't blame the fact that you're from another culture," Candice said. "Being exposed to our 'outside' culture has changed you. You only adapted to what you've seen. I mean, I'm sure you got to see plenty of Princess Hilda and Prince Scott being intimate, right? You were her personal attendant for _how_ long?"

"Tha- that's not…!" Minwu had become flustered.

"_HEY_!" Cantirena shouted from down the path a bit. "Are you coming or am I making this mystical journey of self discovery on my own?!"

"Coming," Minwu said, taking the opportunity to get out from between Clarisse and Candice. He couldn't believe the audacity of teenage girls. They thought everything was about romance. Everything! Well, they were wrong. Very wrong.

_It doesn't change the fact that they did find us lip-locked_, Minwu thought. _And girls like to overreact to kissing. Even Hilda got worked up over kissing when she was that age. Perhaps it sends hormone signals through the body? I do know about the dreams and why they exist. I imagine that the romance obsession is connected to the same phenomenon._

Cantirena was waiting there with her hands on her hips, like she was impatient. "I thought you said you didn't want anything to slow us down," she said.

"You are right. We do need to keep moving," Minwu answered.

"What were you doing back there, anyway?"

"Your sisters were teasing me," he replied. "They do that a lot, I've noticed."

"Minwu," Cantirena said, "They only tease you because you're connected to me, and they know that it bothers me. I'm the runt of the litter, and they just love to make me remember that fact."

"Are you talking about me behind my back?" Clarisse asked, glomping onto Cantirena's shoulders from behind.

"No, I'm talking about you in _front_ of you," she retorted.

"Oh, look, we've got a smartass over here," Candice said, "Crouching mage, hidden smartass."

"Knock it off," Cantirena grunted at them both. "You're slowing us down."

"Funny, we only stopped 'cause you were getting emotional again."

"We only stopped 'cause Minwu stopped."

"Gosh, you two, go under a bush, do the dirty and get it out of your systems all damn ready! Don't worry, we'll set up camp while you do. The sexual tension between you two is so thick I could use it as a quilt. Which would be really _weird_, now that I think about it."

"Candice, shut your pie hole before I stuff pie in it!"

"I want pie… hell yeah, give me some pie."

"Clarisse!"

"…you walked into that one. That's your fault."

Minwu wanted to slap all three of them by the end of it. "_**AHEM**_!" he shouted, catching everyone else's attention. "If you'd kindly stop _bickering_?"

Cantirena nodded. "Yes, teacher…" she looked down at the ground.

"Aye, aye, Cap'n Minwu," Candice said, walking past him.

"Sorry about that," Clarisse said. "It… did get out of hand."

Minwu kept walking. He didn't have anything else to say. He just wanted out of the jungle and in town, so he could get everything taken care of. The closer he got, the more nervous he became.

When Cantirena started walking, she heard some sort of high-pitched sound in the distance.

"Hmm?" she asked, looking around. "Did anyone else hear that?"

"I didn't hear anything," Candice said.

There it was again. It wasn't a human sound at all. It sort of sounded like a 'wark'.

Cantirena put her hands on her hips. "I swear I'm not just hearing things. Something in coming this way."

Minwu took a few seconds to look around. "I can't say I hear anything either. But be on your guard in case something does come this way."

Suddenly, everyone could hear it. It was very loud now. With it, the trees and bushes rustled around them.

_WARK!_

Cantirena, without having to think about it, used her hands to cast a barrier around the four of them, which pulled them closer together. "There's only one creature that makes that kind of sound," she said.

Out of the trees came a very large black bird which stood taller than any of them. It had a bright pink beak and deep blue eyes. It had a very large plume of feathers for a tail, and waved them around as it kept making its sound.

_Wa-a-a-rk!_

"It's a chocobo," Minwu said. "A… black chocobo."

"What? The only chocobos I've ever seen are yellow," Candice said. "There are black chocobos, too?"

The chocobo warked at them several times before using its two long legs to fiddle with the dirt beneath its claws. It looked at the group curiously, but after a few seconds, it started to peck in the dirt. Cantirena pulled her barrier down almost instantly.

"A chocobo," she said. "Come here." Cantirena extended her hand to the bird, and it responded by pecking her on the head. "Hey… don't peck my brains out. You can't eat them, I need them." She giggled at the chocobo and it calmly made quieter versions of its signature call, as if it was giggling along with her. "Well now, big fella, I wonder where you came from."

Minwu walked closer to the chocobo. "That's a good question. Chocobos are only native of Kashuon. I never imagined I would see a wild one out here this far. Perhaps someone in Mysidia has begun breeding them in captivity?"

Clarisse reached over to put her hand on the top of the chocobo's head, and it warked at her, letting her pet him. "He's tame to us, so it's not hard to believe he would have been raised by humans," she said.

A mysterious voice came from behind them. "He was raised by humans," the voice said. It was decidedly female, though very quiet. "By me, specifically."

Minwu stopped for a second. He knew that voice. When he turned to look behind them, he saw a woman wearing clothes very much like his. Her head and body were all covered, except for the area around her eyes. Instead of wearing white, however, she wore black. "Fate plays a cruel hand," he said quietly. "To see you in charge of breeding chocobos, lady Say-Ri."

"I am not the mage I once was," the woman replied. "I never thought I would ever see you again, Ming-Wu."

"Likewise," Minwu said. "Well met, old friend."

Say-Ri bowed her head. "I take it you have brought a student with you, though it looks like you have an entire class."

"I do not have a class. If I had more than my one student to my name, I believe I would lose all sanity I claim to have," Minwu said, gently pulling Cantirena in front of him. "This one is my student. Her name is Cantirena."

"And the other two?"

"Her sisters. They are under my protection and guardianship until they are returned to their families. The situation is more than complex, but I do not have time to speak of it freely," Minwu said hastily. "I will speak with the Circle of Mages first on the troubles of the outside."

Cantirena felt like she was being stared down by this Say-Ri. She did not like the aura this woman gave off, and she found herself wanting to cling to Minwu's arm, but she resisted. It would have looked bad to someone of Mysidia if they were too affectionate.

"Troubles," Say-Ri repeated. "I have heard very terrible things about the state of the world, Ming-Wu. Come, let me welcome you and your party to Mysidia. I'm sure your teacher would love to see you again."

"He… he's still alive?" Minwu asked in disbelief.

_That's not what I wanted to hear_, he thought. _I did not want to come back for this exact reason…_


	58. Ch 6, part 9

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 9

Paul was instructed to take Krystal to one of the rooms nearby, so he did was he was told. When the door was shut behind them, he locked it and made her sit down. He was so mad at first that he wasn't sure exactly what to say, giving her several minutes to try to gather her thoughts before he laid into her with all the subtleness of a stampede of goblins during an earthquake. He wanted to slap her silly. He wanted to kick her off of this ship in general. She wasn't supposed to be there. She wasn't _supposed_ to be anywhere _near_ Altair!

"You better have a good answer for me," Paul said, pacing back and forth. "What the _hell_ were you doing in Altair?!"

"I…" Krystal looked at the table. "I didn't know why Altair was on fire."

"Because I was ordered to set it ablaze," Paul said angrily.

"By your Emperor?" Krystal asked. "You _betrayed _the Wild Rose Rebellion, Paul."

"I did no such thing!" Paul shouted at her, resisting all urge to beat the living daylights out of her. "You have no idea what I went through in the last twenty-four hours. All you're able to do is make conjecture about things you do not understand."

"I understand that you _agreed_ to work for the man who wants Princess Hilda dead," she snapped.

"Princess Hilda _**IS**_ dead," Paul said. "The lady died last night when… when… when she took her own life."

"You're a traitor and a liar," Krystal muttered angrily. "And I hate you."

"You can believe what you want," Paul said, feeling like this argument was doing nothing but potentially giving away the rebellion's secrets. "But if you want to survive, you'll do as you're damn well told. You are to stay in here until I tell you otherwise. Talk to no one unless you absolutely must. You know too much and I can't be with you constantly to make sure you don't spout something you're not supposed to. " He reached into his pocket and pulled out the Wing Sword. "If anything turns dangerous, I want you to use this. I will secure other weaponry in the road ahead. Keep yourself safe."

_What's with me giving girls weapons these days?_ Paul thought, putting the sword on the table.

"What if I use it on myself?" Krystal asked.

"Then I would proclaim that sword cursed and thirsty for a wielder's blood," Paul said quietly. "I promise that I will see you back to Master Tobul. I know for a fact that he never threw you out. You ran away."

"I did it because everyone treats me like a little kid," Krystal said weakly. "I'm a person, too, you know. I deserve to know what's going on around me just as much as anyone else does."

"…all right. You're an adult now, despite the fact that you're only fourteen years old," Paul said. "You're going to be married because if you don't do it, you'll be killed because that's what the Emperor believes is the most merciful thing he can do for someone who claims to have no family and no purpose in life. You were a bargaining chip for him, because by letting you live and marry me, he bought my service. That's a pretty adult situation, now isn't it? Don't you wish you were a little kid again?"

"How long are you going to rub it in my face that I messed up?"

"Until it sinks into your thick skull that you got yourself into this situation," Paul grunted. "Do not blame anyone but yourself. You could have safely made your get-a-way and no one would know you existed." He straightened out his black outfit to fit the way it was supposed to and retied the yellow scarf around his neck. "Stay here. Be good. I have to… _do_ things."

"Kill other rebels," Krystal whispered. "Hey. When you find Minwu again, tell him everything. Go on, do it. Tell Minwu what you've done before you stab your closest friend in the back."

Paul couldn't help it anymore. He raised his hand up and slapped her across her face as hard as he could. "Goddess help me, say that again! I swear I will put my sword through your heart," he said, walking up to the door. He unlocked it and walked through. "I will come back for you. You are not being abandoned."

"…fuck you," Krystal said.

"Very well," Paul closed the door as he walked out of the room. When the guards looked at him, he pointed at it. "She's not feeling well. Make sure she says in here to rest."

"Our orders come from the Emperor," one guard said. "We will not listen to you."

"That girl in there belongs to me. She was payment from the Emperor himself for my services. If anything happens to her, I will not hesitate to kill you," Paul said angrily. "If she was used as payment, I would wager that she has a high value to His Imperial Majesty as well. If she is hurt, I suspect he would also not hesitate to kill you. Keep that in mind." He hated everyone on this ship. He hated everyone in Palamecia. But the person he hated the absolute most was himself. He was more than ready to kill himself…

The only reason he hadn't done so yet was because he was determined to carry the three letters to their recipients. He had no idea what was written in them, but they were the final orders of the last heir of Fynn.

_What is Fynn going to do when the war is over? We've always been a monarchy… I can't help but fear for the future of the citizens of Fynn. Not that there's a lot of them left anymore. If it weren't for you, Hilda… if it weren't for you, I would have surrendered for real. Goddess, I swear I will make your death worth it. I will never, ever… ever… let your death be in vain, my princess._


	59. Ch 6, part 10

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 10

Cantirena was lying down, cuddled once again in the tent she'd started to call home. Her eyes were closed, just so she could enjoy the… well, _everything_. She didn't want to live in a house anymore. The tent was enough. The cot was the perfect bed. Minwu was more comfortable than anything she'd ever slept against. She felt his heartbeat. No, she didn't want to go back to Altair. No, she didn't want to go back to Fynn. She could live with Minwu in the wilderness until the end of their days.

"Minwu," she whispered quietly, feeling a bright red blush all over her face.

"Yes?" he asked. "Are you all right?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" Cantirena asked. "Everything is perfect…"

Minwu sighed. "You look like you're lost in one of your daydreams again."

She opened her eyes to find herself riding on the back of the black chocobo that she had bonded with earlier. Clarisse and Candice were on both sides of the bird, holding onto the reigns and leading him along their path. Minwu sat on the chocobo behind her. She had been leaning against him the entire time. That woman, lady Say-Ri, was walking in front, leading them.

"You're right," she muttered. "I was."

"You daydream too much," Minwu said, winking at her. She knew they had to keep a low profile with their relationship while near anyone from Mysidia. He only sounded like he was scolding, but it was clear to her that he didn't mean to chastise her for it. "And while we're traveling in a monster-infested forest, too. Tsk, tsk, my child. We'll have to do drills when we have the free time."

"I understand, teacher," Cantirena nodded at him. "I'm sorry that the hike's been a bit more than I'm used to. I will have to train that much harder."

"You're lucky," Candice grunted. "Why do you two get to ride on the chocobo?"

"She fell asleep mid step," Clarisse said. "We should be grateful lady Say-Ri allowed us to use her chocobo, otherwise one of us would be _carrying_ Cantirena."

Candice gave Minwu a very perverted look. He shook his head at her. She knew not to crack any sort of jokes like that, especially not now, of all times. Even though all three of the girls were aware that Minwu would have been the one doing the carrying. And he wouldn't have complained, not once. He never did before. And they were all very aware that Cantirena would wake up, look into his deep eyes, and blush romantically, almost sort of like what she did just then.

"It is not my chocobo, lass," Say-Ri said quietly. "I raise them, but they do not belong to me."

"Who does he belong to then?" Clarisse asked curiously.

"The Holy Mecca owns the chocobo, as it owns everything in Mysidia," Say-Ri answered. "I know, this may sound very strange to one who has lived on the outside all of his or her life, as it sounded very strange to me when I first came here myself. Mysidia has no private ownership. Nothing is owned by one person. It all belongs to the city itself."

"But… who owns the city?" Clarisse pondered aloud.

Say-Ri shook her head. "No one owns the city." She sort of laughed at that question, like she was making fun of the feeble intellect of Minwu's traveling companions. A student that collapses while traveling, one who doesn't understand the concept of non-ownership society, and one with a sarcastic attitude happened to be traveling around with the failure? It almost seemed like karma had given back what the white mage started when he was but a student himself. Say-Ri was disgusted.

"Someone controls the city. Every city has a governor, or a king, or something like that which looks after it and ensures rules are followed," Candice said. "That's how cities work."

"Our lives are overseen by the Circle of Mages," Say-Ri said. "Which reminds me… Ming-Wu, were you aware of the fact that you had an invitation to join the Circle of Mages? Everyone expected you back here much earlier than… now."

Minwu groaned, trying to keep it under his breath. He was going to have to hear that damn formal name of his every minute he was back in Mysidia, and he hated it. He much preferred the nickname the Fynn Royal Court had given him to making saying his name easier to those on the outside now than his given mage name. "There was a time where I wanted to join the Circle," he answered calmly. "At one time, I planned on introducing my student, and perhaps her taking my place in the Circle."

"What changed that? It sounds like a perfect opportunity for you to right the wrongs you have committed in the past," Say-Ri gave off this aura that made the three girls only want to make the chocobo peck her to death and eat her heart. She obviously hated Minwu and Minwu was obviously tired of talking to her. "Giving yourself to the will of the Goddess would heal you and you know it."

Minwu tried to stifle laugh. He _wanted_ to laugh at that as loud as humanly possible. This was making him incredibly uncomfortable, and she just would not shut _up_. "I did not return to Mysidia for forgiveness, Say-Ri," he said quietly. "I did not drag my student and her sisters across the continent for some selfish quest to improve myself. If I wanted to do that, I would do it on my _own _time."

"You sound so offended," Say-Ri's voice cut like a dagger through Minwu's ears. "Then, pray tell, master-" she said master so incredibly mockingly that it only pissed him off further "-white mage Ming-Wu… what do you come to Mysidia for, if not to offer yourself to the Goddess' light?"

"I am imperfect, Lady Say-Ri. The Goddess cannot heal what is… wrong with me," Minwu said carefully. "I come back to speak on behalf of the world outside these lands, which is in turmoil. I told you this earlier."

_Now would you please stop talking to me?_ Minwu thought.

"Minwu, you're the nicest person I've ever met," Candice said, looking up at him. "What on earth could be _wrong_ with you? You?! I've been around some nasty people, and you're a kind and gentle as they come."

"Do you not see his impurities?" Say-Ri asked. "He is a curse, a _failure_."

"No, he's _**not**_!" Cantirena shouted at Say-Ri. "My teacher is perfect!"

"Hush now," Minwu whispered gently. "Speaking in too high a volume is improper for a lady like you."

"But you're just letting her insult you!" Cantirena cried. "Let me at her, I'm going to show her who's the failure!" Her rage was hard to keep down. Minwu, who had been riding behind her on the chocobo, could feel her aura fluctuating. "You're a black mage, right, Say-Ri?! I challenge you to a magic duel! Bring it on! I'll prove to you that Minwu's not a failure at all!"

"Your student is _just_ like you, Ming-Wu," Say-Ri said, turning around. "A failure can _only_ raise a failure."

"Hey!" Clarisse said. "With all due respect, Lady Say-Ri, that was incredibly uncalled for. You don't know anything about Cantirena."

"Yeah, so she's got a temper, but she's not a failure at all," Candice said.

"You three…" Say-Ri looked at them very closely. "You are pieces of a greater whole. Destiny holds big plans for you three blue haired girls." As she said that, her expression became something of a very twisted interest. "Wait a moment. Wait a moment now. Was there not a _legend_-"

"Would you kindly let us go into Mysidia all ready?" Minwu asked, finally snapping under all of her namby-pamby constant prattle. "We don't have much time left. The Palamecian Empire has set its sights on Mysidia next, don't you understand?! Not only is the outside in danger, but so is this place! And if there's anything I would rather not see, it would be a man who is possessed by _**EVIL INCARNATE**_ walking in the Holy Mecca!"

"Of… of course…" Say-Ri muttered quietly, moving out of the way.

_Ming-Wu has the three girls mentioned in the prophecy… perhaps he is not the failure everyone has labeled him after all? Lee-Chun did say he saw a great destiny in Ming-Wu or he would not have saved the sniveling little boy when he did. This, this is interesting._

_**END CHAPTER SIX**_


	60. Ch 7, part 1

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

_**CHAPTER SEVEN BEGINS**_

Part 1

Mysidia was a beautiful place, though it was smaller than what everyone thought it would be. Every building was made of hand-shaped square bricks that looked more like white rocks than actual bricks. The people who lived within all seemed to wear similar clothes to Minwu, except for the few children they found. It looked more and more like those who were accepted into Mysidian culture wore these robes and turbans that covered everything but their eyes and the tops of their noses. Some wore colors other than black and white. In fact, after looking everything in the town over, it seemed that Minwu was the only one in the town wearing white… or had a piece of his body other than his eyes exposed.

The land itself smelled fresh and natural. There wasn't a single machine anywhere. On the ground, the same hand-shaped stones were made into lovely designs that didn't quite look like paths or roadways. It seemed as if having that kind of thing mapped out wasn't a big part of Mysidian culture, like it was back in the towns outside.

Say-Ri's chocobo carried Minwu and Cantirena over to the stable, where Clarisse helped her younger sister off before Minwu climbed off himself. Riding that chocobo bareback wasn't exactly easy, but he did what he felt he had to, and he wasn't going to complain about his tailbone aching. He had the option not to ride it.

"Thank you, Lady Say-Ri, for allowing us to ride the chocobo," Cantirena bowed very formally to her, just like she did in front of Princess Hilda the day she met the her first time. "Thank you for your generosity."

While her sisters gave her a look like they wanted to scream 'why the hell are you thanking that bitch!?', Say-Ri was taken aback by Cantirena's sudden gentleness. There was much more than meets the eye to this young one, and after observing her during that walk, it made some sort of warped sense that Minwu would take her as his student.

"You have no need to thank me," Say-Ri replied. "I was only doing what I felt needed to be done."

It surprised Candice that she didn't come back with some sort of sharp retort, but she let it slide. Perhaps Minwu putting her in her place made her realize that this wasn't some sort of vacation, because if it was, how she wanted to be somewhere less… stuffy. Candice looked around the place, and for someone with heels, a low collar, and a short tight-fitting miniskirt barely covering her behind when she bent over, she felt rather naked to be out where people could see her. She never had that kind of feeling typically, and it drove her nuts.

"Lady Say-Ri," Minwu said, "Is my cottage still intact?"

"Aye," Say-Ri said somewhat dismissively, taking the chocobo and putting him into the stable. "Shall I alert the Circle of Mages to know that you have returned with your student?"

"Mmm," Minwu shook his head to that. Who knows what she was going to say? After all this time, he didn't trust that woman to do right by him. She never did before, why would she now? "No, I will make the rounds myself. Come, girls. There is no inn here, so I will have you take up residence in my home."

_Wow,_ Cantirena thought as the girls followed him through the town. _I was made to believe that Mysidia is a town full of wonderment… this town actually gives me the creeps._ She had to resist the urge to hold his hand and to be affectionate on him. She stood behind him a little bit, trying to take in the town itself. It seemed more like a village than anything else. Turning to her left, she could see the body of water that was so clear from the top of the mountain they spent so long climbing, and that's when she saw something taller than anything she'd ever seen before.

"Teacher," she said, catching Minwu's attention. "What is… _that_?"

"That is the Mysidian Tower. It's the tallest man-made structure in our world and the symbol of Mysidia itself," Minwu explained. "The real name for it is actually the Tower of the Magi, but no one calls it that anymore."

"Oh." Cantirena looked at him. "Excuse me for asking, but what's a magi?"

"Hmm?"

"It's call the Tower of the Magi, right?" she asked. "So what's it named after?"

"Now that is a history lesson that will take all day to explain," Minwu said, pulling her into his small house with her sisters. "And I would gladly teach you all about it-" he shut the door behind him, placing a large blue stone against it to prevent anyone from opening it without him knowing "-but now is not the time to recount the days of old, my student."

Minwu's home may have been small, but it was packed with things. There was one bed, a stove, one corner filled with a stack of books so high that it reached the ceiling, a bookshelf crammed with even more reading material, and another set of shelves full of all kinds of bottles that smelled like ten-year-old spices that only grew richer with time. He closed all of the windows. Well, the ones he could get to, as one window was blocked by the stack of books, and there was no way he could get in there without having to spend hours sorting these things.

"It's Minwu's house all right," Clarisse said, smiling.

"It's smaller than I expected," Candice said, only making Cantirena extremely annoyed. Then she giggled, "I was expecting a library bigger than the Dreadnaught Warship, that's why."

"If I had the time to build a library that big, I would be ignoring other important matters," Minwu said, taking the opportunity to give Cantirena a real hug for a moment. He squeezed her with all his strength, which was quite amazing for one who spent all his life training in magic. "I've been needing to do this for a while," he whispered to her. "I've been wanting to do nothing but be affectionate to you for the last day or so."

"And here I thought you had some composure," Cantirena said very quietly, pulling him into a kiss. "But we should stop though, or I will throw you into your bed and take you against your will. Don't… don't take this too far, Minwu, you told me not to…" She felt a nip on her ear. She fell against him and wished she could just do what she wanted. "…you told me not to get affectionate, so… why are you? Damn you, you're gonna make me take you by force, aren't you?"

"You can't rape the willing," Candice said, turning away from them. "Come on, you two. Get a room."

"We're in a room," Cantirena said with a deadpan expression. "In fact, this is Minwu's house. So, technically…"

"So, Minwu… what exactly did you want to bring up to the Circle of Mages?" Clarisse asked, making him quit with the constant kissing and snap back to attention on the matters at hand. She laughed at him very quietly. She never imagined she would see the usually quiet and somewhat stoic Minwu affectionate in that sort of way with anybody.

"Ah, yes," Minwu said, reaching into the item pouch. "We come to address the Circle of Mages about stopping the war at its source – the Stone of Iluia. The only thing that can dispel something of such concentrated evil is a crystal. Now. Traditionally, I would take Cantirena around town and introduce her to everyone, but right now, I am more concerned with finding the Great Sage. Forgive me for being unorthodox, my student, but I-"

"You don't have to apologize about anything," Cantirena said, also sticking her hands into the item pouch.

"There is no way to lock a door, as we here in Mysidia do not use this custom," Minwu said. "I will enchant this door so that I am the only one who can open it. I want you three to stay inside."

"Well if you're the _only_ one who can open it," Candice said with a smartass grin on her face, "Then I _really_ don't think you have anything to worry about."

"Candice…" Minwu started, sounding somewhat annoyed.

"Yes?" Candice asked.

He chuckled. "Don't ever change."

Minwu kissed Cantirena on the forehead, whispering something in a language no one ever heard him speak in before. It caught them all by surprise. Then he turned to walk out. "Feel free to make yourselves at home. Rest, eat… but for the love of Cosmos, do me a favor and don't be too loud with your incessant _prattling_."

"Wait," Cantirena said, reaching into her pocket. "I… want to you have this." She pulled out a necklace that she had never shown to anyone before. "It's an Amulet of Protection. My father gave it to me the day I officially became your student, because he was so afraid that I was going to hurt myself somehow. I've never taken it out of my pocket since."

"You should keep it," Minwu said gently. "It was a gift from your father-"

"No, Minwu. Take it. Please. I'm under _your _protection…" she looked at the charm, which was a heart embroidered with lovely, shining runes. "But you have no one to protect _you_."

Minwu nodded and placed it inside a pocket inside his cape. He patted it to show her exactly where it was kept: right over his heart. "I will return it to you when we are reunited." Again he spoke in a tongue no one could recognize, then he kissed her forehead yet again. "I love you. Be safe."

"No worries," Clarisse said. "We'll be fine."

He looked like he didn't want to walk out the door, but he did anyway. When he was outside, he cast a seal on it. Everyone inside could hear Minwu's footsteps as he headed away from the tiny house.

Cantirena smiled, turning away from the door. She reached into the item pouch and pulled out a cot. "I'm bushed," she said sleepily. "Best way to stay quiet? Napping."

"Something about this place is telling me we shouldn't be here," Candice said. "I know you promised Minwu you're gonna stay put-"

"So did _you_," Clarisse interjected.

"-hush!" Candice grunted. "This place just… oozes creepy. I mean, the clothes they're wearing… is it not weird to not see any skin on anyone except for what's around their eyes? Don't you feel the energies in the ground?"

"Of course I do," Cantirena said. "If you knew anything about Mysidia, you would know that those are lay lines. They're natural channels of magic power which are gathered here. Why do you think this is known as the Magic Kingdom? Those who live here learn to live by the flow of the lay lines and use them appropriately."

"You don't know anything about Mysidia…" Candice said, cocking up an eyebrow. "How do you know that?"

"I read it in Minwu's book…" Cantirena said, stretching out on the cot. "The Mysidian Tome of Mages. He had me studying it the day of… the massacre of Fynn."

_No one knows the importance of that tome. Not even Minwu. When I couldn't remember him, I remembered the words in that book. That's why it will always be important to me. Always._


	61. Ch 7, part 2

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 2

Mateus didn't sit in his cockpit. Well, no, he did, but he was floating in a seated position. The only chair he believed good enough for his perfect royal rump just happened to be his throne, and there was no way he'd be able to move that from his lovely palace back home, considering it was made of stone. The knights around him worked tirelessly and without complaint, leaving the Emperor to float there in his thoughts. He had been trying to reconnect with Cantirena again, but for the last few hours, she was unreachable for some reason. Even if she was in Mysidia, which would be entirely possible by now, she should still be easy to contact through her dreams. Either Cantirena didn't sleep, or the Mysidian Circle of Mages decided to protect her further than what the oh-so-highly thought of Lord Minwu was capable of. Still, it did not matter. He was heading in that direction.

He could feel the presence of his newly acquired ninja come in the room from behind him. Mateus turned and almost gave Paul a half-smile, but decided against it. "I take it your bride is comfortable," he said quietly.

"As comfortable as she can be, Your Grace," Paul said. He bowed down onto one knee, hating with every inch of his body the fact that he had to. "Thank you."

"We made a deal. I do not go back on my word. One could even call me trustworthy," Mateus said, putting his hands together under his chin. "I'd like to ask you a few things, regarding what happened in Altair."

"I will tell you what I know," Paul said, standing back up. He cleared his throat. How exactly was he going to go about this? "…I was given the explicit order to burn down the village. Every building within it was to be set aflame."

"_Who_ gave you the order?"

Paul took a deep breath. "I was given the assignment through my previous employer, which is an agency of secret assassins."

Mateus found that particularly amusing. "Assassins," he mused somewhat playfully. "Where are they based?"

"Deist," Paul's reply was instant.

"It's a good thing you've found a new employer," Mateus said. He laughed very quietly, though it did not last long. "Now. Your assignment for me is simple. We will be close to Mysidia within a few hours. I cannot land there because there is anti-machine barrier of some sort around the Magic Kingdom. I want you to nullify this barrier for me. When this is done, you shall have a new assignment." He pointed to a map which was lying on a table nearby. "I haven't the slightest idea why there is a barrier around Mysidia like this, but I want you to find it and destroy it."

"Understood, my liege," Paul said, bowing once again.

"Oh, and Paul," Mateus said when Paul started to get up. "I don't like it when people lie to me. If I find you have lied to me, I will not hesitate to take your life."

"Sire, I am but a pawn," Paul said. "And pawns can only move forward. Is that not right?"

"So you understand."

"_Understand_?" Paul asked. "I'll put it in terms easy for you to understand and short enough to not waste your time, Your Highness. I've never been my own man, and I never will be. Only men with power are truly free in this world of ours. Everyone else? They are merely pieces on the chessboard to be manipulated by whatever their Goddess given talents are." He shrugged. "Why fight against the natural order of things? Seems like too much stress to me."

Mateus nodded in agreement. "It warms my heart to hear you say that. I have _high_ hopes for you, Paul."

"High hopes," the ninja repeated. "Thank you."

"Oh… wait," Mateus said. "You'll be _leaving_ on your assignment."

"Uh, sire?"

Mateus snapped his fingers and one of the guards suddenly grabbed Paul out of nowhere. "I know you have the ability to fly like a human kite," he said. "So there's no need to land for you." He gave the nod, and Paul was carried to the deck of the airship and promptly thrown off.

Paul had never fallen so fast before. He pulled on some strings that stuck out of his pants and quickly untied his scarf. Out of the back of his shirt popped two large wings made of the same material as his black outfit. It was strapped onto him like something of a backpack. Though he lost his favorite yellow scarf in that tussle, he was soon gliding along the wind, headed due east.

"Wha… what… I damn near_ pissed_ myself falling so suddenly…" Paul gasped. "What the _fuck_ was that, Empy?! Oh… I am not going to forgive you for this. Ever!"

…

The three girls sitting inside Minwu's house were quiet after a while. Cantirena stretched out on her cot, falling asleep as soon as her head was parallel to her feet. Clarisse started to pick up a few of the book sitting in the gigantic pile in the corner of the room, reading through them. Candice wasn't sure what to do. She sat by herself, studying the daggers that Paul had given her and wondering how he was doing. When she turned to look around the room again, she looked at Cantirena.

"Hey, Canti. You okay?"

Cantirena only gave a snore in reply.

"She can't hear you," Clarisse said with a shrug. "Right now she's snuggled up with Minwu nude under the moonlight, listening to his heartbeat, and enjoying the peace of it all."

"I'll bet," Candice said, smiling. "That sounds like it would be heaven for both of them."

"Oh, I know..." Clarisse said, looking back at the book she picked up. "I never imagined we'd be in a situation like this, you know. I… was training in the sword. I was going to stay there and become a White Knight of Fynn. But Canti couldn't stay in that little town, no. The world had too much for her to explore, too much for her to learn, and she wanted to learn it. That was her plan. Going around, studying magic with Minwu, sending the family letters every new place she arrived in… until she found a new home, a new life…"

"It makes me wonder if she had a crush on Minwu even back then," Candice said. "She mentioned that she fell in love with the then Prince of Palamecia, but I wonder if before then, she had a very innocent crush on Minwu. I know of other students who had feelings for their teachers when they were young."

"Now that you mention it, the way she spoke of Minwu as a child was very much like that… I never would have thought of that," Clarisse laughed at herself in hindsight. "But I guess as she grew older… feelings grew deeper."

"She's lucky, though."

"Oh? Why would that be?"

"The one man in the world who knows her best, has been around her practically all her life and has taken care of her as a surrogate parent and a teacher is also the man she loves the most and wants to spend her life with," Candice explained. "And he accepts that fact."

"You say that with a sort of melancholic voice," Clarisse said.

"If only the men I knew who knew me the best were as gentle and sweet as Minwu…"

"Are you jealous?"

"Slightly. Canti's a gentle girl. I know why the Emperor fucked her up royally. She wasn't ready for that. The only world she'd been exposed to was full of love and understanding. I'm not sure if that tyrant even knows what those concepts are," Candice sighed. "Like she demonstrated before, she can't find the light to cast a cure spell anymore. Do you know what this means? That monster _killed_ a part of her. He didn't just take her virginity and her sense of innocence. Oh, no. It runs much, much deeper than that. White magic can't fix what happened to her. I imagine that only a pure love could, maybe, with time undo that devil's handiwork."

"You… you really hate the Emperor."

"I do. Having stolen my father's technology, turned my hometown into nothing but bedrock, and put me away in a slave camp, do you blame me? Then, on top of all that… it's not just a war thing or a politics thing. He hurts people on such a very deep level and doesn't give a _damn_," Candice said angrily. "He doesn't need to just be stopped. The Emperor should be put to death for all he's done."


	62. Ch 7, part 3

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 3

Walking through Mysidia again, Minwu felt the familiar energies from the ground almost engulf him like they wanted to welcome him home. He longed to be away from the lay lines. It wasn't like he ever used them himself when casting his magic in the past. Minwu actively avoided the lay lines when he could, because he always thought he was going to be eaten alive by them somehow. Perhaps it was a silly fear, but he could not help it. Mysidia was not a place of comfort for him, and it certainly wasn't a marvelous homecoming for him. Hell, he didn't even consider Mysidia to be his home.

He walked through the grasses, feeling the light blades of green tickle the inside of his feet. He passed many people. Some were guiding their students along for lessons, or giving lessons while walking. It was clear to see those who had become adopted into Mysidian society and who had yet to take the graduation exam. Those who dedicated their lives to the Goddess exposed little to no skin.

Minwu groaned inwardly as he approached a very rickety old door with a pentagram engraved on it. He didn't want to knock on this door. But… he had no choice. If he was going to meet with the Circle of Mages, he was going to have to make his presence known, no matter how much he hated the thought.

He knocked on the door twice.

"Come in, ya blasted…"

The old door creaked open to reveal a man who was just about Minwu's height, wearing gray robes. He had stringy, ugly gray hairs peeking outside of his turban, and a pair of beady black eyes that seemed to have absolutely no soul behind them. He was propped up on a magic wand like he didn't have the bodily strength to stand on his own and he was too stubborn to use a cane like any other old codger.

"…teacher," Minwu said quietly. "I… have returned."

"Ming-Wu. I thought you had tucked your tail in for good," the old man grunted at him. "What's a failure like you doing back in Mysidia, hmm? And you have no student, either! _HA_! You're no better than the dirt beneath a chocobo's claws, boy."

"I have a student," Minwu replied, doing his best to keep his anger subdued. "She is resting in my cottage for now. There are more important matters-"

"_SHE_?" Minwu's teacher asked, cocking up an eyebrow. "You adopted a _girl_. You know that girls do not make honorable gifts to the Goddess. They are sinful creatures by nature-"

"This one is _not_," Minwu said sharply. "I will take insults to me, but you will not insult my student without meeting her first. And even then, I may not tolerate it. I did not come to continue your tired old traditions, Teacher Lee-Chun. I need to speak with the Circle of Mages promptly on matters of a great importance. You are a member of the Circle and I do not know where to find the Great Sage. I wish for you to ask them to assemble so I may speak to them."

"You have no right to ask me for any favors," Lee-Chun groaned, hobbling back into his own house, which was falling apart. It had a few holes in the roof which allowed the sunlight to fall in, something that the old wizard did not take very kindly to. "When you left Mysidia, they all called me a failure of a teacher. This society has left me to die, no one here does anything to help an old dying man. I saw some great destiny in you, but I was wrong, Ming-Wu. I was terribly _wrong_. What you did cast a shame on me greater than any deed I had ever done myself."

"This is about the sake of the entire world," Minwu insisted. "Please, listen to me, teacher."

"I am no longer your teacher, Ming-Wu. Get the hell out of my house!" Lee-Chun yelled. "You're a failure, your student is a failure, and I hope whoever cares about you in this world dies a horrible, painful death."

Minwu turned to leave before he was further tempted to take Lee-Chun's life, but before he left, he muttered, "It was your fault I left. If you hadn't _used_ me like you did… if you hadn't… _**taken**_ me when you did…"

"That was your _one_ redeeming quality," Lee-Chun said, giving Minwu a very yellow, rotten smile. "You were a _tight_ young lad. You made a very _**nice**_ cum rag. I imagine you still are, since you physically tremble when you speak of it. No one was ever going to touch you again, you said when you took the white robes. You're _pathetic_! I saved you from death on that deserted island and you get upset at me for using you to relieve myself that once? Can't you show your savior more gratitude? Come, I bet if you bowed before me, it would come up just to welcome you back home."

Minwu raised his hand, charging up a spell instantly. White light came to his hands. With one cast of Holy, he would die.

"Ming-Wu, if you fire that shot, you will be put to death," a voice snapped him out of his rage.

Behind Minwu stood Lady Say-Ri. It caught Minwu completely by surprise. "Say-Ri?" he asked.

"I figured you would be here," Say-Ri said quietly. "You had better leave this bitter old man alone. No one will kick him out of town, but he is not allowed to be a part of our society. Lee-Chun is outcast. He is not worth dying for, considering who would be left at your wake. Your student needs you more than that one needs punishment."

"He is not being punished," Minwu said angrily. "You're letting him live as he wants." He stormed out of that house just so he could keep his temper.

Lee-Chun hobbled back over to his door and slammed it shut after Say-Ri followed Minwu outside. "And _stay_ out!"

Say-Ri shook her head disapprovingly. "Now, Ming-Wu, were you the one who taught your student to react so quickly in anger, or did she teach you that?"

"You have no room to speak," Minwu said. "I need to speak with the Circle of Mages, I thought-"

"He was kicked from the Circle the day you left," Say-Ri answered quietly. "You didn't even bother asking me. You, like everyone else in Mysidia, treat me the exact same."

"I don't treat you like anything, Say-Ri. I was in a rush, and I still am!" Minwu almost shouted at her. "Where is the Great Sage? I need to speak with him immediately."

"Ming-Wu. The Great Sage passed away around… oh, I don't know. It must have been almost two weeks ago now."

Minwu had a hard time keeping his shock from being visible even underneath his mask. "But he had lived for over two hundred years! The Circle of Mages thought that he had found the secret to immortality."

"The Great Sage had a vision the night before his death. There was a great fire in the east. It engulfed a village, a castle, the heart of an entire nation… it was lead by a man who was the embodiment of evil, with fully grown horns on the top of his head, dressed in gold."

"He… he saw the massacre of Fynn?!"

"That was not all he saw, however," Say-Ri continued. "Our saviors would come in the form of three young girls with dark blue hair. He proclaimed the prophecy has indeed come to pass. When I first saw you, I saw you with three girls… I didn't even take the time to notice that their hair was blue. Blue hair… this does not occur naturally. If it does, it is indeed a gift of the Goddess."

"What did he say about the girls?" Minwu asked worriedly.

"Nothing else. By the way… where are your girls, anyway?"

"In my cottage," Minwu answered. "I know Cantirena needs to rest. She does not have the physical endurance to make a pilgrimage like the one from Altair to Mysidia."

"You are supposed to train that before leaving to come here, Ming-Wu…"

"What do you know of having a student?" Minwu asked. "You've not left the Holy Mecca in twenty years."

"And you've not been here for twenty years? Your point?"

"Say-Ri…"

"If you wish to see the Circle of Mages, I suggest you show them not just your student. Show them all three girls. Let them know that the prophecy has come true."

"…I cannot."

"Why?"

Minwu stopped walking. "Cantirena has no desire to live in Mysidia as one of the Goddess' Chosen."

"But that is what she has been training for, studying for while being your student," Say-Ri said. "It is the Mysidian way, Ming-Wu."

Minwu looked at her. He was being serious. "I don't want this future for her… and when this war is over, I'm… going to leave Mysidia forever." He smiled. "I don't need this life anymore, Say-Ri. I want to be free. And to break free, I have to learn to depend on my own inner strength, not hiding underneath these damn white robes for the rest of my life like some sort of coward."

"…you are braver than most who end up here. Most of the students that are taken in by the citizens of Mysidia have no idea what they are trained for, and they are brought here without understanding the truth of our laws," Say-Ri said very quietly. "You were saved by one of us on a journey, but… who knows who you would be without being rescued, or even if you would be alive now? Ming-Wu, I will help you. Tell me what I can do to help you."

"Say-Ri…"

"If you wish to break free, I wish to help you."

"I… appreciate your help. Thank you."


	63. Ch 7, part 4

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 4

Gordon didn't wake up for about a day and a half. When he did, it was all ready near the evening, and he found himself on the rocky shores of Deist, next to a small campfire, surrounded by all ten of Leila's crew members eating and drinking to their hearts' content. The first thing he did was check his coat and pants pockets, only to find that Leila must have ordered the pirates not to pick his pockets. For that, he was thankful. He didn't know what he would do if he lost any of the few things he had on him. He sat up slowly and rubbed his eyes a few times. Gordon didn't feel much like a prince, but rather a stowaway being kept on some sort of high seas adventure.

Looking at the water going through its constant ebb and flow, Gordon remembered the lovely sea adventure he had before passing out. It made his stomach tremble just thinking about it. He was not a man of the sea, and preferred thinking that he would never have to touch water again unless he needed a bath. And right then, yes, the once beautiful downright girly-looking Prince of Kashuon certainly did need a bath, among many other things. His lovely blonde hair was matted in the back, it felt somewhat sticky in places, and he felt like he was going to have to cut his perfect ponytail off the next chance he got. He used to pay a lot more attention to how he looked, but with the war in turmoil like it was, he figured that it made sense to focus more on saving the world than saving his tarnished, angelic appearance.

"Hey, cap'n," one of the crew members shouted loudly. "Ol' princey here's awake!"

"Oi," Leila said, hopping down from a large rock formation. She was lovely, as always. Her skirt was so short that Gordon could see little purple polka-dotted panties every time the breeze blew by, and Gordon blushed just looking at her. How did a woman who spent so much time on the sea look so dazzling? Gordon reasoned that it had something to do with how she tried to seduce him a while back. That was probably one of the many illegal ways she procured gil when Cid wasn't there to scold her for it. "I see you're awake now."

"I am. Where are Firion and Cid?"

"I'm the first thing a pretty boy like you sees after wakin' up, and you ask where the men are?" Leila asked, somewhat disappointed. "I guess when you're fighting a war like this, you don't have time to focus on pretty gals, huh?" It was obvious that Leila had developed some sort of warped affection for Gordon, but the prince couldn't take that. His heart, since he was young, had been dedicated to that of Princess Hilda. He was not going to even think about another woman, not now that he might actually have a chance to marry the stubborn young princess. "Firion and Cid left with that knight we found adrift in the water to head up to the castle." The lady pirate pointed up towards the highest mountain on the island. "They left almost two days ago."

"I am the leader of this expedition, I should hurry and catch up to them," Gordon said, trying to pull himself up on his feet. But he was weak. He hadn't eaten anything in so long that his strength was falling out from under him, and he wasn't exactly the strongest sort of person, either. He wished he had Hilda's stubbornness.

"You spent days aboard my ship, puking your entrails out into the sea," Leila said sternly. "Sit the hell down and eat something. Gain your strength back, and then you can head to Deist Castle and announce yourself to the Queen, okay?" She snatched one of the shish-kabobs from the hands of one of her pirates which happened to be made of smoking monster meats and all sorts of natural plants which grew in the area. Somewhat bitter Dragon grass, pinch of parsley, hell… Gordon had no idea what was exactly on that metal rod, but it smelled divine. She put it in Gordon's hand and ordered one of them to pour the prince a glass of whatever the hell they were drinking. "Eat light at first. You don't want your body to reject it."

Gordon took the skewer, drooling just over the smell. Even though he didn't want to rush eating it, he couldn't help himself. The more bites he took, the more the flavor came out, and he found himself enjoying the best meal he'd eaten in years. A pirate brought him a mug of ale, and even though the monarch-in-training was not very fond of frothy alcohol, he downed it within seconds of finishing the skewer. Then he promptly fell back over, breathing much more evenly than what he was doing before he had anything in his system.

"When you wake up, I bet you'll be ready to take on whatever this island has to throw at us," Leila said, sitting night next to him. Man, was Hilda lucky to have a looker like Gordon to chase after her skirt. The pirate was jealous. "But for now, you had best rest up."

"I'm in no condition to meet with a Queen," Gordon said. "I feel like a failure of a prince."

"A failure?" Leila asked. "You want to know who's a failure, my royal friend? That would be me. I took up piratin' only because I didn't have the choice."

"Leila…"

"I didn't want to grow up to be a pirate, you know." As Leila spoke, that country accent she used to keep up seemed to vanish from her voice. "I grew up in the biggest city in our world. Before Emperor Mateus took the crown, Palamecia was a different sort of place. You could even say there was something of a cultural boom during his father's reign. I… I wanted to be an artist ever since I was a little girl. You wouldn't guess it, but I was so good at painting that I even got to paint the previous Emperor's portrait! That's… that's how Mateus knew me when my family was being taken to the slave camp." Leila closed her eyes. "And that accent? I used it because I didn't want any other pirates thinking that I was just some lame ol' city gal who never wanted to plunder a day in her life."

"So what I overheard was true. You _are_ from Palamecia."

"What? All of a sudden, you don't want to trust little ol' me?" Leila asked, putting her hands on her hips like all it did was ruffle her proverbial feathers. "And I thought so highly of you, Gordon."

Gordon just smiled at her. "No. Even people from the very country that gave the Emperor power want to be free of his tyranny. It makes more sense than you'd think."

"I want to save them. My mama, papa, and three baby sisters are all working in a damn slave labor camp, and I…. I have to save them."

"You will, Leila. I will see to it."

"You… you will?!" Leila asked.

"On my name as the heir of Kashuon," Gordon said, putting his hand over his heart. "I will see that your family is saved, as well as every other family that has been ripped apart by this merciless war. Those who have died cannot be replaced, but we will save those who are still alive. I vow this world, even if there is not much left of it, will one day be at peace once again, where we can all build new lives."

"You…" Leila smiled. "…you sound like a true leader, Gordon."

"Maybe I have inherited my brother's passion after all," Gordon said, laughing at that. "I ever so wish to be like him in all ways… It's his memory that keeps me going when I have nothing left."

"You have a passionate voice," Leila said. "Do me a favor, Gordon."

"Hmm?"

"Don't ever lose it."

"I've gone through so much hell trying to find my inner fire, I don't think I could ever lose it."

They both laughed together. The next day, they would be on their feet, making their way to Deist Castle. There was so much to do, but there was only so much they had the strength for now. Gordon ended up slipping back to sleep again, though it was somewhat more restful now. He was lulled by the gentle sea waves and the loud, obnoxious singing of a band of drunken pirates.


	64. Ch 7, part 5

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 5

"_Can you hear me, my lady?"_

Cantirena was awake, but she didn't open her eyes. She had her face stuffed into the blanket she was snuggled against, so even if she did open her eyes, Mateus wouldn't be able to see where she was. She didn't say anything, and she didn't think anything either.

"_I know you are… I can hear voices around you."_

Clarisse and Candice were in the middle of talking about something that sounded sort of important, but Cantirena refused to give him any answer at all. She wished they would shut up. She wasn't going to give him any leads. No. They just had to leave Mysidia and that would be it. Mateus would hold no power over her with Minwu as her husband. At least, she hoped that would be the case.

"_Such a stubborn little lady, you are. I much preferred you when you were complacent… but, no matter. I wanted to let you know that I am on my way to Mysidia. You've had such a hard journey, and now it's time to come home. Don't worry. If things are peaceful, I will not take a single life. All I want is you to come with me. Mysidia can rot with all of their long-honored traditions."_

Cantirena could hear the front door open. Both of her sisters sounded happy.

"Girls, there is something I need to discuss with you." It was Minwu's voice. "Oh. There she is. Sleeping. Like I knew she would be. Cantirena, my student, come, it's time to wake up."

"_Yes, Cantirena, be a good student. Wake up for your teacher, hmm?"_

"She sleeps deeper than any other person I've ever known," Clarisse said. Cantirena could feel Clarisse poking her back. "I thought you'd wake up the instant you heard Minwu's voice, Canti…"

"Yeah. No dream is a good as the real thing," Candice chime in. She also started poking Cantirena's back. "Get the hell up, you lazy bum."

"_Open your eyes, my lady. I wish to see your teacher's loving gaze…"_

Cantirena could feel Minwu sit next to her. "I thought my charm would keep you safe from any dream magic, but I was wrong," he said carefully. "He must be close by."

"_You're a terribly smart man, Minwu… Too smart for your own good, I'd say."_

Minwu lifted Cantirena up into his lap slowly, putting his hand over her heart. She couldn't help herself. She smiled at that. It was warm and comforting, like always. She couldn't imagine a time where his hand wasn't warm and comforting.

"_You like your teacher's touch? Oh, __**how**__ deliciously forbidden! I remember when you trembled at my hand in the same sort of way, my lady. Do not fret, that feeling will not escape you…"_

"I can tell you're not actually sleeping, Cantirena. You are faking. Look at that smile. But, I also know that you are a smart young woman, despite the fact that you can do stupid things from time to time…" Minwu sounded very determined.

"Do you think she's trying to block the Emperor from seeing anything?" Clarisse asked.

"I do," Minwu answered. "When he's connected to her, he can see through her eyes and hear what she hears, if I remember correctly. So, both of you… be silent."

"What are you going to do?" Candice asked.

"Like I would _say_ it," Minwu said insistently. "Be _silent_."

"_Minwu…"_

The same language Minwu spoke in before when kissing Cantirena was the same language he started singing in. It sounded very much like an old hymn or even a lullaby. Cantirena knew it, though. She remembered hearing Minwu sing it to her when she had a hard time sleeping many years ago. It was not a joyful or a happy sounding song, but it was relaxing. It sounded much like the recounts of an old traveler's journey longing to be home with the one they missed. Cantirena wondered for the second time in her life if Minwu had written the song himself.

"_You sing in the ancient tongue of the Magi."_

Minwu held her. Until she opened her eyes, he was not going to stop singing. He leaned his back against the wall, letting his feelings out in all honesty in a language none of them could understand. After twenty minutes or so, he stopped repeating the hymn itself. But he didn't stop there. He sang about how much he loved her and yearned to do it openly. He sang about the peaceful life they would lead together, in harmony, long after the war passed. Minwu even told Mateus, though he was not able to know just by listening, that if he ever set eyes again on what he declared his own, he would swear revenge.

"_Be well, my lady. I will come in a few days. I've no time to listen to your teacher sing pointless hymns in a dead tongue. Be ready for my arrival. It will be a magnificent one, that I promise you."_

When Cantirena could feel Mateus' presence fade away from her mind, she opened her eyes very quickly. Minwu was looking down at her with a very tender expression. "Thank you," she said. "I was too frightened to let him see or hear anything." She hugged onto him the way she always did, and he returned the affection.

"So it was the Emperor!" Candice said. "Smart thinking, though I wish we could have known instead of trying to get a reaction out of you..."

"It must have been hard, going that long without saying anything, ya chatterbox," Clarisse said, giggling.

"He woke me up," Cantirena said somewhat angrily. "And I was having the nicest dream, too."

"I bet I know what it was about," Minwu said.

"Oh I bet you do," she said. "But seriously though. I was starting to lose it. He said he would be here very soon, in a few days. He knows we're in Mysidia."

"Must be because of that barrier. Right now he can't bring any ships through, so he's stuck outside the barrier," Clarisse suggested. "At least, that's what it sounds like to me."

"And," Cantirena continued. "Minwu, Mateus knows your song. At least, he said… he knew the language you were singing in… That it was the language of the Magi."

"It is," Minwu answered. "Ancient Mysidian, before the term 'Mysidia' even comes up in history. Before Mysidia was the place that it is now, it was home to the Magi, the original discoverers of the lay lines and Magic itself. Every song they sang had magical properties, every spell they cast was a song. The way we cast magic with chanting is much weaker than the magic they had. Songs are magic, and magic is song – this is how the language was formed. Even when not casting magic, they spoke to a rhythm unlike any language before or since. It was not until outsiders came and brought their common language with them that they learned to speak as we do now. It became easier to speak to outsiders without relying on the complex magic language, as they were not going to take the time to learn it. Based on this account of history, our magic and our music has become a mere shadow of what it once was." He ruffled her hair. "I hope you paid attention. I will quiz you later on it."

"That means they were Melodists in the old days," Candice thought aloud. "I knew the tradition of the lullaby was invented some time ago, but I didn't know they used to be actual spells."

Minwu nodded. "Yes, they were indeed."

"How did you learn the language?" Clarisse asked curiously.

Minwu shook his head. "I do not remember how I learned it. The reason why my teacher discovered me in the wreckage on that island is because he could hear me singing in the Ancient Mysidian tongue. He heard me singing a language that has been mostly dead for a very long time."

"Your parents," Candice said. "You… Minwu, could you be…?"

"Could I be _what_?"

"…do you think it's possible that you are a descendant of the Magi?"

Minwu let those words sink in for a moment. While the others in Mysidia used the lay lines to their advantage, he never wanted to. He felt them too strongly and it bothered him. He never felt at home in a culture that brought in outsiders to expand their community. From what he studied in his history books, the Magi themselves did not worship the Goddess by keeping vows of purity or anything like that. Perhaps it was not the outside that corrupted him, as he was led to believe. It was possible that Minwu was a descendant of that ancient tribe. The thought did not bother him, though. He liked the idea that he was never supposed to be one with the current Mysidia.

_The counts of history state that some of the Magi left their home and fled far from their beloved tower, their masterpiece because they disagreed with the mentality the outsiders brought with them. There were those who stayed and founded Mysidia, rebuilding it as a religious place rather than just a place to live out your days in harmony with the world… It… only makes my resolve to leave this wretched place that much stronger._


	65. Ch 7, part 6

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 6

The skies mourned the fall of Deist with a depressing shower.

Firion woke up abruptly, like he felt a jolt surge through his body. He didn't remember dreaming, so he wasn't sure where that came from. He was in Deist with Cid next to him. They slept under a somewhat tumbled roof, where there were beds that weren't bloodstained. He wondered what happened to Gordon, as he expected to hear from the prince before two days had passed. Sure, there didn't happen to be a queen to present himself to like they originally intended, but Gordon was still important to the rebellion. Ricard wasn't around when Firion looked for him.

"You look like shit," Cid said, passing him a mug full of something warm that he had been holding over the fire.

"I feel like it, too," Firion said, taking a look into the cup. It smelled like coffee. He took a drink, letting the warmth flow through his insides. He was cold, even though he didn't realize it at first. "Where's Ricard?"

Cid shook his head. He watched the rain. "The kingdom has fallen. He's been thrown into a despair that nothing can bring him out of. The last time I saw him, he was standing on the roof of the castle staring out at the sunset. That young man… he…"

Suddenly, they saw a purplish figure coming through the downpour. When he came into the shelter, he gave a nod to both Firion and Cid. "Someone survived," he breathed out. "It's a miracle!"

"There were survivors?!" Cid asked. "Where are they?"

"Elina, my best friend's wife, and her son, Kain…" Ricard said, trying to catch his breath. "They are in the castle, watching over the Queen's dragon." He shook his head. "I… was only able to understand very little… but the Queen Prism' dragon is dying of poison. From what Elina explained to me, the Empire's soldiers poisoned the water supply to kill off the Dragons inside their own mountain. She gave me the Dragon's Egg to take to the hatchery, so it might survive. This little one is… the very last Dragon in the entire world. As I am the last Dragoon, I _must_ save it! This is my test of honor!"

"Where exactly is the hatchery?" Firion asked.

"Within Dragon Mountain," Ricard replied. "I will make haste for it."

"We'll go with you," Firion said, standing up.

"No, I wish another request of you, my friends," Ricard said quietly. "Can you… please take Elina and Kain back to the ship? There is no reason why they should have to stay here alone. It would only devour their spirits even further."

Cid nodded. "Firion, you go with Ricard," he said very quietly.

"But, Cid-"

"Shut your damn kid mouth and do as you're told," Cid barked at him. "I can go get the lady and the young'un and take 'em back to Leila. Meet back here in town, all right? I'll be here until you're ready to leave once I've done it. This also gives me a chance to tell Gordon to stay put instead of heading up here. He's all ready seen his Kashuon Keep and Fynn Castle in ruins. I would like to save the boy some heartache, if I can."

Ricard agreed with Cid's idea. "Fair enough. Come, young Firion. We do not have much time."

"Right," Firion retied his bandanna in a way that would keep his hair and his face from getting wet before running out of the half-crumbled shelter. "We'll be back later, Cid."

"Aye," Cid said. "See you soon."

…

After Cantirena was up and dressed properly, Minwu finally had the chance to tell the girls why he came back to see them. They all sat in a circle around the floor with a hot pot between them, each taking servings out as they wanted.

"So… they know about that prophecy thing here, too?" Candice asked. "Why is it that my dad never heard of it until Princess Hilda mentioned it?"

"Honestly, I think it's because your father was not the type to sit around and read," Clarisse replied. "Cid would rather be tinkering than studying."

"My question is, if it's a world saving prophecy, why didn't anyone tell anyone directly? Why'd they write it all in books. Only mages, students, and students of mages tend to read at all," Cantirena said. "If we're the ones who are going to save the world, why didn't our parents know? Because they didn't read. They worked all day in the fields. I'm not even sure if our dad knew how to read at all."

"He didn't," Minwu said gently. "It's one reason they were so proud of you when I told them I wanted to make you my student. You were going to learn to read and that was going to grant you vast opportunity in the future." He took a sip of the broth from his bowl. "But I need to present you to the Circle of Mages."

"Well, where are they? We'll go right now," Candice said. "Get it done and over with."

"No, there are rules," Minwu shook his head. "The Circle of Mages only meet at night and when they are summoned to meet. It's not something they just… do. There has to be a reason for them to come together. Say-Ri is giving a message to one of the members, and tonight they will be assembling under the light of the full moon in the courtyard. Tonight, we will make our case known."

Cantirena frowned at that.

"You are not going to be put through the graduation exam," Minwu said quietly. "They won't turn you into one of them. I won't let that happen."

"I'm not upset about that," she said, eating some noodles.

"You're not?"

"No," she took another bite. "I'm afraid for _you_, Minwu."

"Why?"

"Because I know things I shouldn't," she whispered.

Minwu gave her a quizzical look. "What do you mean by that?"

"I've said too much, teacher." She took yet another bite, staring into the bubbling stew in the hot pot. "I… think this should wait until we're out of Mysidia and this whole thing is behind us."

"What do you know that you're not supposed to know?" Minwu insisted on getting an answer.

"In the dream I had… where you and I…" Cantirena said, not looking away from the pot. "Well, you told me things. I didn't think they were true, I just thought it was only a dream, that is… until… we got here." She sighed. "Minwu, I know why you are the way you are, and I know it hurts you to this day. I know your heart aches as much as anyone else's."

"I told you in your dreams?"

"That's right."

_There is a lot of magic of this nature in the world,_ Minwu thought. _I'm not surprised you could use it, considering everything else that's happened thus far._

"You must have needed to tell someone, even if it was in a dream," Cantirena said. "Because you keep everything that's ever hurt you inside. You're such a sensitive soul, and… I'm afraid for you."


	66. Ch 7, part 7

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 7

After the sun set in Mysidia, Minwu opened the door of his cottage to let the cool night air in. It was a refreshing breeze, coming in from the nearby sea. The full moon was out, keeping the circle of stones around the town's center aglow. It was a very beautiful sight, even if he didn't really care for it personally. Cantirena, Clarisse, and Candice were all in awe over it. As the night sky grew darker, and the stars came out, many mages started coming out of their own small cottages wearing robes of all sorts of colors.

Say-Ri stood by the front door of Minwu's cottage, refusing to let anyone enter or exit until things were ready. She was the one who gave the message to one of the mages, she was going to be the one to announce things. Say-Ri held the ceremonial traditions in her hands.

She turned to look into the doorway. "Are you ready?" she asked.

Minwu nodded. "I don't think the nervousness will fade away at any point…" he said.

"You've not been before the Circle since your graduation," Say-Ri reminded him quietly. "Of course you're going to feel this way. It's been twenty years since then."

"What?" Candice asked. "Minwu, exactly how… how old _are_ you?"

Minwu shook his head. "That is not a matter of importance," he said dismissively. "I can't believe you'd ask a question like that at a time like this."

"Hey, you were the one who told me to never change," Candice retorted, looking away. She tried to put all of it together in her mind. He graduated twenty years ago, and he must have been a teenager when he graduated, at least. Cantirena mentioned that Minwu was an adult by the time they had met ten years ago. She thought about it, realizing that Minwu could very well be over 35 years old.

"Do not fret about his age," Say-Ri said to Candice. "He once took a sip of the fountain of youth. He hasn't aged past twenty. He looks just as gorgeous the day he left."

"The fountain of youth is real?" Candice asked, shocked again.

"Do not tease the poor girl," Minwu grunted. "There is no such thing."

"Well, you don't look a day over twenty," Cantirena said, smiling. "I'd almost believe it."

"Either way, my dears, the Circle of Mages is ready to proceed," Say-Ri said. "So we will start."

All the girls gave her a nod to signal they were also ready. Minwu looked at them, then looked at Say-Ri, then agreed with a nod of his own. "Proceed," he said.

Say-Ri stepped out in front of the house, raising her hands in front of her to bring the circle on the ground to a brighter glow. "I am the one who has called this meeting," she said loudly, catching all of the mages' attention with the depth and volume of her typically smooth and quiet voice. "I am Say-Ri, student of On-Ti, black mage of the Goddess' Chosen. I bring forth Ming-Wu, student of Lee-Chun, white mage of the Goddess' Chosen."

Minwu walked out of the house, giving the group a ceremonial greeting. "I am Ming-Wu," he said. "And I bring a message from the outside you all must hear."

"The failure?" one voice asked.

"Yes, Ming-Wu was the failure of Lee-Chun." Another said.

"My status and standing among the Mysidian rules matter not to me," Minwu said loudly. "Because I am here to show you that The Great Sage's prophecy has indeed come true. The night before the Great Sage's death, there was a massacre in the east. Fynn was destroyed by the onslaught of a man with horns dressed in pure gold, just as his vision foretold."

"How do you know of this?" one voice asked from the shadows.

"I was there," Minwu said. "I was of the employ of House Fynn, serving the royal family."

"A failure like you only brought them bad luck…"

Cantirena felt her anger surge, but Say-Ri put her hand up and stopped her from stepping out before she was announced.

_Damn these stuffy traditions! _ She thought. _They can't say it happened because Minwu was there! That's completely wrong!_

"The Great Sage also foresaw our world being saved by three young girls with blue hair." Minwu put his hands up again and said "I am Ming-Wu, student of Lee-Chun, white mage of the Goddess' Chosen. I bring forth Cantirena, student of Ming-Wu, mage in training."

Say-Ri nodded to her, and Cantirena stepped out to where all of the mages could see her. They all murmured different things, and she couldn't tell if her reception was going well or not. It was all so confusing.

"Ming-Wu has a student," one of the mages said louder than the others, silencing the rest of the Circle. "It is hard to believe she has as much fortune as her teacher."

"That's right. A failure can only raise a failure," another said.

"My student has been to the capital of evil, where the Emperor of Palamecia resides," Minwu said. "She has seen first-hand exactly where the evil comes from."

"Oh? And why has the student of a white mage like you been to the place where this evil comes from? Ming-Wu, are you in league with the Golden Horned One?"

Cantirena stomped her foot onto the ground. "No! He's not!"

"Impudent girl! Silence!"

"No," Cantirena said. "Minwu has never, ever sided with the Palamecian Empire. Do not ever think for a moment that he would sit idly by and let the Emperor destroy the world without a fight. My teacher is a leader in the movement we call the Wild Rose Rebellion. He inspires me to fight for freedom every single day." She looked at him, wondering where all this confidence suddenly was coming from. But she went with it. She felt like she was on some sort of roll now. "In fact, the reason why we're here to speak to all of you is because we need your help. I don't know if I'm related to the Goddess or not, and I don't place my faith in legends. My teacher taught me to always seek the facts. To study hard. To show what I've learned and apply it in everyday life. The evil that has taken our land is not any regular kind of evil. It comes from a sealed demon, the Demon King Iluia, who has been making his way into the Palamecian Royal family since the founding of the country thousands of years ago. Please, oh great Circle of Mages… we need your help. We've come asking for your help. Where can we obtain the holiest of artifacts, other than the Holy Mecca itself?"

"Ming-Wu, does she speak true?"

"My student never lies." Minwu said carefully.

"Oh yes she does!" a voice shouted from near the town gate. "That girl is an Imperial Witch! She calls herself the Dark Princess!"

"Who is there?" one of the mages replied. "Show your face!"

A few of them called lights up with their hands, revealing that the man who stood at the town gate was none other than… the barkeep from Fynn, who had been guarding Prince Scott the day after the massacre happened. "Yes, Fynn was attacked. Minwu did a great job protecting everyone he could, to help them get away from the oncoming Dark Knights of the Palamecian Empire. But that witch who pleads for your help? She serves the Emperor! She killed Fynn citizenry at his command. The only reason she spared me was because I was Prince Scott's emissary, from Kashuon."

"What is this?" Minwu asked. "My student did no such thing!"

Cantirena couldn't believe that man recognized her. "But… but…"

_The man I let live… is condemning me!?_ She couldn't believe what she was hearing. _He is right, I did kill innocents in Fynn under the command of Emperor Mateus. Yes. I did. I… I did…_

"Her voice is the exact same," the old barkeep said angrily. "If you want to stop the Empire, the first thing you need to do is take away their weaponry. That girl will slaughter you all in your sleep!"

Minwu's heart beat too fast. He felt his anger rage beneath him. "You're a liar!" he yelled. "My student is of pure heart, and she… and she…"

The murmuring began again.

"He has raised a failure indeed."

"Take the girl into custody, we shall."

"Send her to the correctional facility."

"You shall _not_," Minwu said. "My student is mine. You cannot punish what does not belong to _you_!"

"Fine then," an old surly voice said over to the side of the assembly. "If we cannot have your student, why don't we take you in her place?"

Minwu turned around to see that Lee-Chun was standing there, hobbling on his old staff. "_**You**_!" he gasped. "What are you doing here? You're not a member of the Circle of Sages!"

"Is that any way to speak to your teacher, Ming-Wu?" Lee-Chun asked, coming closer to the circle. "I am Lee-Chun, student of Da-Huo, outcast of Mysidia. My student is a failure and a liar and an Oath Breaker!"

The entire Circle of Mages gasped at once, pointing at Minwu and shouting all sorts of obscene things from heathen to demon creator to traitor.

"On what base do you call me an oath breaker?" Minwu asked. "I have done nothing but keep my word since I donned these robes, you pitiful excuse for a man!"

"It was not after you became a full white mage, Minwu," Lee-Chun said. "It was before."

_What?!_ Minwu thought. _You will have me put to death because of __**your**__ heinous crime?! _

Lee-Chun continued. "My own student seduced me into having sex with him while we were on a pilgrimage."

The Circle of Mages gasped in abject horror.

"Arrest Ming-Wu."

Minwu didn't know what to do. Several mages came up from behind him to grab his arms, but he repelled them with a quick barrier.

"He is resisting!"

"Stop!" Cantirena cried, putting herself between the mages and Minwu. "You can't have him, he's _mine_!"

"Arrest his student, too."

"Cantirena, my student…" Minwu's voice came from behind her, very softly. "Stop. Let it go." He managed to quell her anger just by talking to her gently. "This… this is the Mysidian way. I… I'm so very sorry that I can't go home to Fynn with you. Do not fight against this. I knew… I knew from the moment I came back into town that… that I would have to face this again."

"Then… why?" Cantirena asked, feeling tears well up in her eyes.

"Shhh," Minwu said, wrapping his arms around her from behind. "Know that I love you more than any other on this planet. I will die so that you may live. I accept my punishment so you do not have to face any. I have always been a failure. I will always be one."

"No… this isn't right." She cried. "I'm… I'm… the one…"

Minwu reached one hand up and put it over her mouth. "Do not say it," he whispered. "Do not say anything more. The Goddess demands payment for sins committed. I will give myself willingly. Go now to your sisters."

"Wha… what about the crystal?"

"Read the book in my item pouch. Research as much as you can… if anyone can create a crystal, it would be my very own student…" Minwu let her go slowly, allowing the mages who came to arrest him to bind his arms. "Forgive me for failing you and going back on my promise. I am an Oath breaker to you as well."

"No, Minwu, please…" Cantirena reached for him, but Say-Ri held her back. "You said… no, Minwu… please! You musn't!" She fought against Say-Ri as hard as she could, ripping from the woman's hands and rushing over to Minwu's side. "You cannot die for me, I will not let you!"

"My dearly beloved, I love you more than life itself," Minwu said as he watched her become further and further from him. He cried the saddest, loneliest tears he could ever shed. "My beautiful, perfect bride… I… will watch over you… from Heaven…"

"No! Oh, Cosmos, no!" Cantirena shouted. "Someone, please, make it _**STOP**_!"

"Gladly!" a voice called from on top of a nearby cottage. The shadowy figure jumped off of the roof, cutting up the throats of the mages who carried Minwu. "Can't believe you'd start a ruckus… _you_ of all people…"

Candice knew that voice. She'd been saved by it before. "Paul?!" she cried out.

"That's me!" the ninja said, giving a thumbs up with a smile. "C'mon, girlie girls, we need to blow this popsickle stand. There's nothing left here but a group of mages who want us the hell dead. Minwu, you can't die. I have an urgent message from Princess Hilda to give you."

Clarisse, Cantirena, Candice, Minwu, and Paul ran together into the forest as quickly as they could.

Candice couldn't believe what she just saw happen there. _What the hell kind of court was that?!_ She thought._ There was no organization and there was certainly no fairness at all. Those people had Minwu judged before he even came out to speak to them, always calling him a failure… That was doomed from the very start!_

Lee-Chun hobbled over on his magic wand, watching them scurry. "How dare infidels interfere with the workings of the Circle of Mages! I want that boy of mine caught and punished for what he did to me! Cosmos give me strength again so I might deliver the punishment myself!"

"Catch them…" one of the mages in the circle said loudly. "Bring them back! We must have justice!"

"The Goddess demands her payment!"

Say-Ri sighed. She was never going to see Minwu ever again, and she felt glad for that. But the night was not yet over. She slowly made her way to Lee-Chun's side. "You speak of Ming-Wu in such an ill manner," she said. "I can't believe you would ever do such a thing. He is, after all, your student."

"Bah," Lee-Chun grunted. "If only I was able… I would hunt him down…"

"Why? So you could rape him again?" Say-Ri asked. "Oh so honorable Circle of Mages. You cannot go after Ming-Wu or his student. I have a suggestion…" She grabbed Lee-Chun by the collar and threw him into the center of the circle as hard as she could. "Take Ming-Wu's teacher to pay for their crimes against the Goddess."

"Wait… wait, I am innocent! I have done nothing wrong!" Lee-Chun cried, bowing onto his knees. He was begging for them to spare his life.

"Hmm. We will take Lee-Chun, as he was the failure teacher who raised Ming-Wu."

"Yes. The negativity started at Lee-Chun, after all."

"No! I have done nothing wrong!" Lee-Chun shouted. The Circle of Mages slowly disbanded, while two of them came up to grab Lee-Chun by his arms and carry him into the same place they were taking Minwu. "I… I am innocent! You must understand…"

_There, Ming-Wu. _Say-Ri thought, hearing the old man's screams grow fainter and fainter, until he screamed no more._ Even though you have not seen it yourself… know that the apt punishment has been dealt. Live your life freely, my friend, do whatever you find makes you happy. May we never see each other again…_


	67. Ch 7, part 8

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 8

Clarisse lost track of how long they had been running through the woods. The sun was all ready up in the sky before Paul thought to look around and decide that they could stop. Cantirena was the first to fall to her knees in exhaustion, as was to be expected. Her face was red from how much she'd been crying, and her nose was stuffed up so bad she could barely talk. The moment she stopped moving, she covered her face with her hands like she was hiding in shame.

"Paul," Candice said, putting her hands on her hips. "Are you gonna make a habit out of saving me, or what?"

"I can't refuse a pretty lady in trouble," Paul said, smiling. "It goes against my very nature to let a girl go through any sort of pain." He kneeled down next to Cantirena. "Hey… I know… it's rough everywhere. What you went through back there? Shit, I don't know what we could do if we lost another leader of the rebellion." He put his hand on her head. "You're gonna have nightmares about that for the rest of your life."

"Paul!" Clarisse shouted at him. "Lay off!"

"I'm not gonna sugar coat anything, Claire, that's not how I do things," Paul said, standing back up. "And you, Mr. Mysidian Mage…" He gave Minwu a very stern look. "I'd slap the shit out of you, but I have a letter to give you. What I said just a minute ago? Well, it's true."

Minwu felt weak himself, but he wasn't sure what to do. He looked down at Cantirena. "It's true, wasn't it?" he asked.

"Yes," Cantirena sobbed, through her tears. "I took the lives of many people when I swore to serve the Empire."

"It was the magic, the power of the Stone of Iluia…" Minwu said. "You were controlled by that power. It was not your fault."

She shook her head. "No. I did it of my own free will. After I became possessed by the evil power of the stone, well… I leaned on the fact that he…"

"You did it because you were in love with Mateus," Clarisse said weakly, breaking into her own tears. "You killed your own countrymen because you were in love with… that… son of a bitch."

"I could say that he would have killed me if I didn't," Cantirena whispered, "But he never said such a thing. He was interested in my magic, and… I guess he wanted to see how far my love would go…"

"The man gets off on control," Paul said. "I know that first hand exactly about that. He likes having men do his dirty work for him, or, in this case, little girls with awesome magic powers. Anyway, Minwu, I'm an official messenger of the Wild Rose Rebellion, as you know. This is for you, directly from Princess Hilda." He pulled out one of the letters from his belt pocket and put it in Minwu's hand.

With all that happened lately, Minwu wasn't sure if he was ready to accept that letter. Still, he was faithful to Fynn and its royal family. He would not refuse it. He opened the letter which was stamped with Fynn's rose wax seal.

"_Dearest Minwu –You have been the best retainer any princess could ever ask for. In lieu of the situation, there are times I wished I was selfish, to keep you here with me, because I've been at a loss for what to do so much without your guidance. You have grown so much since we met you and took you into our court. Take care of your student, who I am sure means more to you than just as your student. Hide it all you like, I know your feelings. Guide her as you guided me once. This is goodbye, my loyal vassal. I leave the Wild Rose Rebellion in your hands, Minwu. All of my love, Hilda Fynn-Kashuon"_

Minwu read the letter, and it struck him as very odd. "Paul…"

"She wrote that herself," Paul said. "It's her final orders to you, and no, I've no idea what's written inside it."

"She signed it with her married name," Minwu said. "She hadn't exchanged vows with either Scott or Gordon, unless that changed while I've been away."

"No. Gordon is in Deist right now," Paul said, "Which happens to be my next destination."

"Paul, is the Princess all right?" Minwu asked.

"I'm… I'm not gonna sugar coat things for you, either, my friend…" Paul said. "Brace yourself for impact. This is gonna hurt." He put his hand on Minwu's shoulder. "Minwu, Princess Hilda is dead."

Clarisse let out of a scream of despair. She had no idea what was happening to her world. It all felt like a terrible dream and all she wanted to do was wake up all ready.

Minwu shook his head at first. "That's… that's not possible. Our plan… was…"

"She died trying to buy you more time," Paul said quietly. "Because good ol' Asshat McFuckface himself was flying to Mysidia and we were afraid that he would catch you before you made it here. Hilda had more faith in you than she did in herself. So she decided the only logical thing to do was to stop him, and we managed to do that. Unfortunately, Mysidia only wanted you to pay for their own stupid justice system's _ridiculous_ laws. She died trying to ensure that you would get the crystal needed to stop this war at the source, and fuck it all, there was no crystal and there is no _Goddess_!"

Minwu slumped to the ground right alongside Cantirena. "We… we must… go to… Altair…" he said, unable to focus on much of anything. "We have to… fight back."

"Oh, yeah, and the other thing," Paul said. "Guess how we managed to throw Empy off track, hmm?" He clenched his fist, striking a nearby tree. "Hilda… gave me the order… to… to…" He punched the tree again, many leaves falling off from the force of his blow. "She gave me the order to burn it down myself!"

"What?" Candice asked. "Just because she wanted to buy us time?" She felt bad, too. Her heart sank to a place she hadn't felt before. She wasn't really crying, but she felt like she needed to.

"That's right." Paul said. "She believed in the legend of the three blue haired girls. She believed that Minwu would find a crystal and right the wrongs of this war. Princess Hilda killed herself for a bunch of fucking fairy tales!" He shuddered just thinking about it. "I hate that mother-fucking, cock-sucking, tyrant asshole with every part of my body. Minwu, you _have_ to lead the rebellion now. You _**have**_ to."

Minwu felt terrible. Everything he set out to do was a failure, and here was his student, the woman he loved more than any other, unable to even look him in the eyes. His head hurt, his heart hurt, and for a moment, he was more than ready to just give up the struggle.

_With Princess Hilda dead, there is not much hope left for Fynn or the rebellion._

"Princess Hilda _**died**_ for _**you**_, Minwu," Paul said angrily.

_With Princess Hilda dead, that's two places to which I have sworn my life, and have failed._

"So what if Cantirena was the Dark Princess?" Paul asked. "It's not like she can't do anything to help. She's been to Palamecia, she knows the castle and the feeling that darkness gives off. If she was put to death, we'd lose a very valuable asset in winning this war. Sure, it's shocking that it happened to such a tender little girl, but… where would we be without her? Minwu, come on, pay attention to me."

_My student… killed innocents… because I…_

"Hey, Minwu!" Paul shouted. "Look. This is not your fault. None of this is. Don't think that because you fucked up this is over. We're the Wild Rose Rebellion! _We are the rebellion!_" He got down to look Minwu in the eyes. "Do you know what the last words Princess Hilda said to me were? No? She said 'I am the seed which is planted in the ashes of rebirth'."

Minwu looked up at Paul. "She… called herself that…?"

"Yes. She did." Paul said bitterly. "I assume she was referring to the Wild Rose."

"That's right," Minwu said, "Because the Wild Rose can bloom anywhere, even in waste." He took in a deep breath. "Cantirena…"

"Yes?" she asked.

"Remove your hands from your face," Minwu said. "Please. It pains me to see you like this."

"I cannot… bear to look at you…"

"Do you know how many people have had to go through hell just to make sure you two got to stay together?" Paul asked. "Get the hell over yourself all ready. You two are meant to be together, so don't let those poor fools die in fucking vain, Cantirena. I'm about to pitch a tent right now so the two of you can just make a baby right the fuck now."

"…that would be interesting," Candice said, sort of half-laughing. She didn't have the spirit in her to laugh out loud right then. It was the best she could do.

"Of course you'd say that," Clarisse retorted. "Of… of course… you'd say that…"

"Minwu himself told me not to change," Candice said, shrugging.

Cantirena did as she was asked. She removed her hands, and Minwu lifted her face up by her chin.

"Do you know the price for taking life?" Minwu asked.

"Surrendering my own," she answered.

"Yes. That's right. But you can't just die. You have to live. You have to make this world a better place for those who live in it. Cantirena, you are no longer allowed to live for yourself. As your teacher, this is my punishment for you. This is the last order I will give you as your teacher, Cantirena." Minwu then pulled her face closer and kissed her. "And as your husband, this is my new promise to you. We will work, side by side, for the rest of our lives, correcting our own mistakes."

Cantirena nodded. "I accept those terms," she said, crying onto his chest.

He reached up to the top of his head, taking off the turban that none of them had seem him without. Taking it off revealed that he had dark brown hair, only a little darker than that of his skin. It was sort of shaggy with a short ponytail hanging around the nape of his neck. He threw the turban onto the ground disgustedly. "I am no longer Mysidian," Minwu said sternly. "I claim nothing I left there, I wish nothing more to do with it. I am just a citizen of Fynn. If I can help with my magic, I will not hesitate."

Paul tapped his finger on his chin like he was forgetting something. "There was one other thing…" he said. "Oh _shit_, how did I forget?! Minwu, get up, get your ass in gear and prepare to move."

"What? Why?"

"I'm sure you're curious as to how the hell I got to Mysidia, right?"

"Well, yes, but I all ready knew you were a human kite…"

Paul shook his head. "Look. The Emperor has a prisoner on his airship right now, one of the survivors of Altair. Everyone in Altair that wasn't Hilda or Gilbert were sent to Galtea, but one little girl came back for some stupid as fuck reason, and… look, he sent me to Mysidia or he was going to kill her. He wanted me to break their anti-machinery barrier so he could fly there and land in a place to come collect Cantirena. It just so happened that while I was looking for whatever causes that barrier to exist, I came upon that ceremony that was going to cost you your life, my friend. I hate to say it, but you owe the fact that you survived to Krystal being a dumb girl and Empy knowing how to manipulate a good-natured guy into doing something he's not really in the mood to do. Right now? He's coming here."

Minwu took in a deep breath. "We… need to get to Altair. We need to meet up with Firion and Gordon… we cannot live in the forests of Mysidia forever. Eventually then the Emperor could send his Dark Knights in and flank us. We'd be trapped."

"There's our master tactician speaking," Paul said. "That's the Minwu we all know and love."

Clarisse pulled out Minwu's trusty map from the Item Pouch, as she had it strapped onto her from earlier that day. "Here. Let's see what we can come up with."

"Thank you," Minwu said as he took it from her. He opened it up. "Well… since Mysidia's landscape is always changing it's hard to make a certain plan…"

Candice pointed at the northwestern part of the continent, far above the range of Mysidia's Winding Mountains or the jungles they were in at the moment. "What's that?"

"The Bog of Eternal Stench. You don't want to go there." Minwu said. "It's a terrible, terrible place."

"Oh…"

"Wait," Cantirena said. "What about the Angel's Tunnel?"

"My love, you remember that?" Minwu asked. "Those lessons did stick with you, didn't they?" He pointed at the base of the mountains to the south. "The Angel's Tunnel extends from the base of these mountains here and continues as an underwater bridge to the continent further south. It is a bit of a hike, but I do believe we can make it. On that continent, we can catch a ship and make our way back to the east."

"More hiking," Candice grunted. "That's _exactly_ what I wanted to hear."

"It's either that or being caught by the Empire. Again." Paul laughed.

"There's only one part of this plan that worries me," Cantirena said.

"And that is?" Clarisse asked.

"The fact that the Emperor can connect with me," Cantirena replied. "He does it when I'm asleep, because that's when my defenses are the weakest. How he can see through my eyes and hear what I hear…"

"We can't just sit here and wait for him," Candice said. "I'm not getting captured again."

"Well, actually…" Minwu said, putting his finger to his chin as he thought. "…no, I'm not going to do that. We don't have any way to break the Demon King's control over him."

"Yes we do," Cantirena said quietly. "Remember when the three of us came together for the first time? My possession ended! I became myself again."

"You want us… to get around him…?" Clarisse asked. "That sounds…"

"Like a baaaad idea," Candice said.

"So, we're just going to let him follow us forever," Cantirena said. "That sounds like a lost cause to me."

"He'll put us all to death and fuck you raw," Paul said. "Well, no, he would keep Minwu alive, just to torture him. I don't like this idea."

"I don't like the idea of being chased around the countryside for the rest of our lives!"

"Hush, my darling," Minwu said, pulling her back to him. "We need to make a decision, and we need to make it now. Do we let him find us or do we flee south?"

"I'm for fleeing," Paul said.

"Me too," Candice agreed.

"All right, this is what we'll do," Minwu said. "You two find Prince Gordon and tell him of what's happened."

"We're splitting up again?!" Candice asked. "No. We have to stick together, Minwu! This mission is tantamount to suicide without all three of us together. You won't be able to break the Demon King's hold on the Emperor unless we're all there."

"So you want to go with us?"

"NO…" Candice almost yelled at him, she was so upset about the idea. "I'm saying that maybe there's a better way to go about this. We should get to a better position, and maybe pretty up his doll there before we make a presentation. I think he'd… _appreciate_ it more. We find a place to hide from him while you research about making the crystal, and when the crystal is made, we present Canti to him as… some sort of peace offering. That's when she uses the crystal and… I dunno."

Minwu nodded. "I like that plan."

"You… you do?"

"Yes. It makes a lot of sense," he said, hugging Cantirena to him tightly. "Then we will make for the Angel's Tunnel."

"You will," Paul said. "I need to go free a certain little bird from her cage."

"Sounds like something you'd do," Minwu said, slowly pulling himself to a stand. When he and Cantirena were up, he pulled off his cape and tossed it over to where his turban was. All he was wearing was a dark brown breastplate with a draping cloth that hang just above his navel and the skirt which fell past his feet, held up by an ornate belt. His stomach had always been exposed, but now he felt freer than he ever had. "There. I no longer wear Mysidia. I… am… _free_."


	68. Ch 7, part 9

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 9

Mateus was annoyed at the Mysidians for their stupid barrier preventing him from going there. He was just about ready to blow it up from afar, until one of the guards called his attention.

"Sire!" the guard said loudly.

"_What_ is it?" Mateus snapped, turning to face the guard at the steering wheel of the airship. Not only was he annoyed, but he was more than pissed about the current situation. How did a small group of rebels manage to keep from him so long? He needed his little toy back again. Not having her was driving him slowly, bit by bit.

"The static isn't here anymore," the guard explained. "It looks like the barrier is gone."

Mateus looked out at the nearby sunrise. "A glorious day," he said with an evil smile. "To Mysidia! The Empress awaits our rescue."

"Aye," the guard said, flipping a few switches before taking the ship forward.

"_I do not sense my bride…"_

Every time Mateus heard the Demon King's voice, he wanted to make something explode violently. The voice was always darker and more brooding than the last time it spoke, like it was increasingly growing desperate over time. "Oh shut up," the Emperor snapped aloud, causing a few of the guards to look at him worriedly. They weren't speaking.

"Your Imperial Majesty," a voice said from behind him. "You've been awake for three days with no rest. Please, take a rest. We will inform you of our arrival in Mysidia."

Mateus kept hearing the voice, but he was unable to reply to it. He did require a bit of privacy to sort out his thoughts properly, so he took the invitation without even acknowledging the fact that he heard it. He was in the captain's quarters by himself with only a few steps, where he closed and locked the door to keep anyone from invading his privacy.

"_I grow impatient. I give you powers, yet you do not give me what I ask for…"_

Mateus walked over to the vanity next to his bed, staring at his own beautiful, flawless reflection. His hair was lovelier than that of any woman, and his beads accented his very pale skin. He loved the way he appeared, as there was no other man on this world who had his level of… perfection. "You will have what is yours the moment I have what is mine," he said angrily. "Iluia, you have no sense of propriety."

As he stared at the reflection, it slowly turned from his to that of another, more demonic figure. It took the form of a man of the same height, with four more horns of different sizes at different points along his head. No longer did he have hair, but snakes surging about the top of his face like a distorted Medusa. His clothes were darker and not longer shimmering. His beads were gone and replaced with scars and cuts of all kinds of sizes and severity.

"_No, Mateus…"_

Mateus shook his head in disgust. "You may be the Demon King, but I am the Emperor of all that exists. You are _my_ servant, not the other way around. I give you form and presence on this Goddess-forsaken world. You had better appreciate my _generosity_."

"_I am the one who gives you the depth of your magical power. If not for me, you would be casting healing spells over the wounded, not able to destroy entire towns with meteors…"_

"How _dare_ you insult the One True Emperor!?" Mateus shouted, feeling his head surge the angrier be became. "There is only one fit to rule, and it is I! This world and the next, they all are my own! Your realm of darkness, Cosmos' realm of light, and this one in between? They are all _mine_ to rule and every mortal in every world exists to serve _**me**_!"

"_No… you are a fallen monarch, Mateus. I would let you have your way, but it seems that you are too strong-willed to be used in my plans. I want the daughter of Cosmos as my feet, proving my ultimate superiority. Powers of the Goddess, serving the Demon King…" _It laughed.

"She does not even know of your existence," Mateus said, pushing the long locks of hair from his face oh-so-delicately. "The girl belongs to me, Iluia. You cannot have her. You cannot have _anything_. You gave me your powers, now you can rot in my head with the rest of the voices that dwell within."

"_Your father was too weak to hold me, and you are too stubborn. You are more like your mother than you would like to credit."_

What? Why would the Demon King even bother bringing up Airu at a time like this? Mateus hated that woman. Her existence is what proved he was a mortal man among men. All of the rest of his family had died. And yet, he couldn't bring himself to kill her outright. At one point, he did care for her as any son cared for his mother. He spent most of his childhood with her, in fact. All those lessons, all those sunny days under the trees of the castle's gardens… they flashed through his memories so quickly.

"What do you know of my mother?" Mateus growled.

"_I tried to make contact with her. She was so strong willed that I could not say anything to her. She felt my presence and immediately banished me from her mind. She is a powerful mage with brilliant powers of protection. Such a shame that none of them could keep you from me."_

"You did not find me, I went to you. I knew of my destiny early on."

"_When you were in your mother's womb, I celebrated the birth of a new prince to the Palamecian Royal Family… I couldn't wait until you grew up… You were mine from the moment you were conceived."_

"Get back into the depths of my subconscious, you pathetic hellspawn," Mateus said, punching the mirror in front of him. It shattered under his strength, cutting into his long, purple glove. "I belong to no one. Everyone else belongs to _me_."

"_You talk like a demon, Mateus. You act like a demon. You are no God. You are a goblin with a Zeromus complex. Even if you cannot see me, I am within you. I am always within, spreading my influence. You are becoming me and eventually, __**you**__ will be nothing but the voice in __**my **__head."_


	69. Ch 7, part 10

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 10

Mysidia's people had never seen anything like this before. An actual machine, an airship, was landing right there, in the center of the courtyard – the same place where, just the night before, there was a meeting of the Circle of Mages. Many of the Mysidian people, including Say-Ri, were caught off guard by this arrival. What could that trial have led to? Was this divine retribution for not taking the right one for punishment? None of the students or their teachers knew what to make of this.

Say-Ri petted the chocobo she remembered Minwu rode. She held onto his reigns, even though he chirped and warked in fear from the boat in the sky descending upon the country town.

The hull opened, and out came a group of six Dark Knights. Following them was the gallantly dressed Emperor Mateus, looking incredibly full of himself as usual. Say-Ri gasped when she laid eyes upon the man. He was dressed in all gold, and he had horns sprouting from his head. His magic was far greater than that of most of the mages within Mysidia these days. Now that Minwu was gone, Say-Ri feared the worst.

"People of Mysidia," the Emperor called out to them, even though they were frozen with fear just seeing him. He was the person the Great Sage saw in his vision before he died. "I come seeking my Empress, who has been kidnapped by foul people. I do not wish to declare war on your ancient culture. Give me what I seek, and you _will _have peace."

No one wanted to answer him, and after about twenty minutes, he became very impatient.

"Do you _hide_ her from me?" he asked. "Where is my Empress? This is all I wish to know." He said, looking around at all of the fearful people.

Say-Ri closed the door to the stable, stepping out to where the Emperor could see her. "We do not know of anyone royal," she said. "So we have no idea who you're looking for."

Mateus nodded. "I understand," he said. "That could cause confusion. Very well. The girl I seek is of fair skin with blue hair. She has vast magical potential. I believe she is a _student_ as per your tradition."

"You seek Lady Cantirena," she said, taking a step back. "Ming-Wu's student."

"Yes," the Emperor agreed. "So you _do_ have her. Bring her forth."

"I'm afraid we can't," Say-Ri shook her head. "For you see, she… fled last night. Too much happened yesterday for her to be able to stay."

"She did?" Mateus asked. "This is _troublesome_. Well. If this is the case, we'll have to occupy all of the Mysidian lands until she is found."

"You don't _need_ to do that," a voice said from in a nearby tree. "I can tell you exactly where she's going." The figure leapt from his spot. When it was in the light, everyone could see it was Paul. He held something in his hands. "Cantirena heads north."

"North?" Mateus turned to see his ninja there bowing on one knee. "Hmm. So she heads to the Bog."

"Oh, and… Your Imperial Majesty," Paul said, standing up. "You might want this." He threw whatever it was that he was holding onto the ground in front of him. The white cloth unfolded to reveal a white turban with a red jewel shining in the center of the front, the whole thing marred in red liquid. It was held in what looked to be a cape.

Mateus' eyes almost glittered at the sight. "Minwu's…" For the first time since he was a child, he almost felt delighted to be presented with something. "He's dead."

Say-Ri gasped in horror. After finally breaking free of Mysidia, something else had to take him from enjoying his life? How… _unfair_.

"That's right," Paul said smiling, even though it sickened him to do so. "Without her guardian, she's wandering and so _very_ lost. Poor lovely lady alone in a magical jungle... _You_ should go rescue her from the wilderness. I'm sure she will come running into your arms, crying for your _protection_ and _comfort_."

"Hmm." Mateus liked that very much. "You've done _well_, Paul."

"Don't mention it," Paul said quietly. "I'll see if I can track her, but you might want to get on looking for her. I've all ready found through previous experiences that I can't get her to listen to me at all. But _you_, sire. She will listen to you. She misses you."

"How do you _know_ if she misses me?"

"How could I not? She cries for _you_, for her beloved Emperor… for your _love_ and your _forgiveness_."

Mateus smiled widely. "And she shall _have_ it." He turned to the Dark Knights. "Split it up, all of you. The Empress is scared and alone in the jungles to the north. Find her, bring her to me. If any of you bring her any pain in anyway, you _all _will be incinerated."

The knights all heard their orders, and many more filed out of the airship to head into the nearby brush. Paul took the opportunity to dash away unseen, only until he bumped into someone else who was hiding.

"_**You**_!" Paul said, looking at the man. He was the one who identified Cantirena the night before as the Dark Princess. It filled him with nothing but anger. "What are you still doing here?"

The man looked up at Paul. "Paul?" he asked, "The noble thief of Fynn?"

"The one and only," Paul answered. "I have a major question for you."

"You have but to ask," the man said.

"What the hell are you doing in Mysidia?"

The man shook his head. "The last time I saw Minwu, he was traveling with two others who escaped Fynn, going into the town to look for someone else. I gave him a note that the girl with the blue hair told me to give to him before leaving Fynn… her voice was unmistakable."

"Why did you interrupt what was going on between Minwu and the Circle of Mages?" Paul asked angrily, picking up the man by his collar and smashing him up against the wall. "Don't you realize that Minwu came here looking for a fucking solution to defeating the Emperor once and for fucking all? Don't you realize that Princess Hilda gave her _life_ to ensure Minwu got here… and it's _**YOUR**_ fault that Minwu didn't get any results?!"

"I'm… I'm sorry…" the man cried out. "I was scared. I was so scared that she would only pull the same thing she did in Fynn!"

"What exactly was it that she did in Fynn that scared you so much?"

"…she was given the order to execute every single citizen of Fynn: man, woman, and child. And she did it. The only reason I survived the lightning attacks she used on everybody was because I told her that I was not from Fynn," the man explained. "I was afraid that she was still under the Emperor's control and that she was going to do the same thing to Mysidia that she did to Fynn…"

"You still didn't tell me exactly what you're doing in Mysidia, old codger."

The man had all ready pissed his pants. "I followed them. The Emperor landed near Galtea, where I was staying, and had his men search the area because of this explosion, you see. They were hot on the trail of Minwu… and once the knights were gone, I followed Minwu and the three blue haired girls from a distance."

"Wh… why did you follow them!?"

"…because the Emperor threatened to destroy Galtea if I didn't."

Paul threw the man on the ground. "So Cantirena spared your life and you repaid her by getting yourself found by the Empire again only to be used by him?!" He spat at the man. "What kind of man are you?"

"An unlucky one," the man said sadly. "If only Scott and Gordon were not in Fynn at the time of the attack, we would not have been caught like that."

"It was because of Scott that so many managed to survive the attack on Fynn, you _idiot_!" Paul punched the wall of the building they were hiding behind. "Kashuon was given asylum under Fynn's wing. You serve the princes of Kashuon, right? That's your sworn duty, is it not?"

"Aye, but… Kashuon is dead."

"Wrong. Prince Gordon yet lives."

"Prince Gordon is still alive?"

"Yes…" Paul said, reaching into his belt. "Take this letter back to Altair. You are to wait there until Prince Gordon arrives to give him this letter, do you understand? After that, stay by your prince's side until further notice. Gordon needs support." He put Hilda's letter for Gordon into the man's hands. "If you do this, I won't _kill _you."

"But… I saw you… help… the Emperor! Why should I trust you?!"

Paul glared at the man who was practically groveling on the ground. "Hey, stupid. I'm not working for him. I'm only biding my time for revenge. Now get the fuck out of here before I gut you."

The man scrambled to his feet, clutching the letter like it was his survival. He ran for the brush surrounding the town, and Paul watched him until he could no longer see the bearded, pudgy coward. Then, the ninja leapt onto the top of the nearby building. He was going to have to work quickly and carefully if he wanted to pull this off without a hitch.

He looked up to the sky. _I don't believe in Gods or fairy tales. But Cosmos, if you can hear me, please… guide Minwu._

_**END CHAPTER SEVEN**_


	70. Ch 8, part 1

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

_**CHAPTER EIGHT BEGINS**_

Part 1

Minwu traveled with the three girls for two more days with no problems at all. Monsters happened, but they were so experienced at fighting sudden encounters by now that no one even noticed. It was life as usual for the four of them. They'd become so used to being on the road that no one longed for home anymore. It was as if the world itself was their home, and that was just fine. With each sunrise, they woke up from the tartan tent and had breakfast, and with each sunset, camp was laid out and the resting began.

"Hey, we've found the ocean again," Candice said. "Is this the same ocean as by Mysidia?"

Minwu shook his head. "No." He pointed at a rock formation which stood very close to the water. "That should be the way into the Angel's Tunnel."

"So why is it called that?" Clarisse asked.

"Ahh, my student, you should be able to answer that," Minwu said, tapping on Cantirena's shoulder. "Why is it called the Angel's Tunnel?"

Cantirena cocked up an eyebrow. "I have to go over the lessons here, too?" she asked.

"Not a lesson," Minwu said teasingly, "A test."

"That's even better," she retorted. "Well, from what I remember about that lecture…" Cantirena put her finger to her chin, letting herself think about the question. "I _think_ it's from the escape of the Magi, where they used the tunnel to flee from Mysidia? They named it the Angel's Tunnel because it was their only escape from the continent that wasn't all ready territory of their enemies. They considered it a blessing from the angels?" She sounded very unsure of her answer.

Minwu shrugged. "Only half correct, but we didn't really get the chance to cover proper early Mysidian history the way I would have liked to." He led them over to the formation and tapped on the stone. "The tunnel is from the Magi tribe's exodus from Mysidia, yes. But that is not why it is called the Angel's Tunnel." He noticed the rock wasn't moving. "Oh dear."

"What's wrong?" Clarisse asked. "Maybe it's the wrong rock."

Candice let her eyes trace the along the shore. "Uh, do you see any other rocks on the ocean? From what Minwu described, that's it. It's the only rock sticking out of the sand."

Minwu used his staff to tap on the stone a few more times. "Why aren't you opening?" he asked the rock like he was expecting it to answer. "We don't have time to play around."

"Um," Cantirena said quietly. "Minwu?"

"Yes, my love?"

"Didn't you say in the lessons that there was a spell placed on the tunnel?" she asked, "Because they sealed it from the inside to keep the… the hunters from following them?"

Minwu stopped hitting the rock and turned to look at her. He smiled widely, blushing just a bit. He was embarrassed now that his emotions were on full display for everyone to see. He used to be able to hide that sort of thing with his face being covered by the mask. "Why, yes. I did. I… can't believe I've forgotten that. I'm sorry I doubted you paying attention to the ramblings of an aging mage."

"Well, when you're older than a fossil, it's harder to retain your memories," Candice said, only to be thwacked on the head by Minwu's staff. It hurt so much she thought she was going to need a cure spell. When she looked over, that wasn't Minwu wielding it. It was Cantirena. "Shit, sis, don't give me a concussion."

"I'll give you a billion more," Cantirena muttered.

"Calm down," Minwu said, snatching the staff back into his own hands. "You can wield the teacher's staff when you become the teacher to someone else. Until then, please don't use it without my permission."

"Old habits are hard to break," Clarisse said. "I guess you'll never stop being Canti's teacher, even after you get married."

"I only recently decided to take a different path," Minwu said, ruffling Cantirena's hair. "Now, you pointed out that there was a spell in place. Do you remember anything else?"

She shook her head. "Nope."

"Really?"

"That's right. I don't remember anything else about the Angel's Tunnel," she shrugged. Without thinking much about it, she sat on the rock. "But I do have an idea."

"That's dangerous," Candice said with a smirk. Cantirena reached for Minwu's staff, but Minwu pulled it right out of her reach before she could grab it. "Oooh. Even a fossil is quicker than you."

"Let me hit her," Cantirena said. "Come on, Minwu, she's asking for it."

"Now, Clarisse," Minwu said in a very scolding tone. "That's enough. Please."

Cantirena coughed. She tapped the rock a few times, mimicking what Minwu was doing earlier. It helped her gather her thoughts into something coherent. "I think you should cast a spell in the Ancient Mysidian tongue. Isn't that the language of the Magi? And if it is… that's probably the only language it would respond to. Cast a spell the way they would have." She kept tapping in a rhythmic pattern. "Music is magic. Magic is music. That's what the Magi believed." As she tapped on the rock with her hands, a glowing light came from the ground. It circled around the base of the rock. "Look!"

"It _would_ respond to rhythm," Minwu said, stepping forth. He waited until he understood Cantirena's tap rhythm. "Clarisse, Candice, I need you to contribute to the rhythm. I don't care if all you do is clap to the beat of Cantirena's tapping."

"All right," Candice said. Her claps were loud, but synced up well with the tapped rhythm.

"I've no musical aptitude at all…" Clarisse said, looking at the ground. She reluctantly started clapping along with Candice's claps.

Minwu stood in the center between them, focusing his aura onto his staff. He sang a question in the Ancient Mysidian language, sending it up into the sky. That's when things started to feel different. The clouds above came down in the form of a woman wearing a simple white dress, right above the rock on which Cantirena was sitting.

"_You have done well to figure out how to call me forth."_

Candice blinked a few times. "Did you guys hear that?"

"She's talking to us. Directly into our minds," Clarisse said, very surprised by this phenomenon.

"_And in a tongue I never imagined I would hear at that. Here I was under the impression that the Magi were all dead… despite all my efforts to save them…"_

"Are you implying they're not all dead?" Candice asked.

All Minwu could do was stare at the formation in the clouds. It was just as the books described. The goddess of clouds, she was called, because when she took a physical form in front of mortals, she was made of clouds.

"_Of course the Magi are not dead… not when one stands there before me now. Minwu, you've done all your ancestors set out to do. You have found my blessed children, you have come to the rock where I first guided the people of magic who were hunted by people who were using my name as an excuse to kill everyone who did not conform to their standards of life, and you have managed to contact me after centuries of this world's time have passed."_

Cantirena looked above her for the first time since she sat on that rock. "You're Cosmos…"

"_I am, my child."_

"If you are, you have a lot of explaining to do!" Candice said angrily.

"_It was not my doings which split the three of you apart. I always intended for the three of you to be together through everything. Forgive me, my children, for you have suffered much and I cannot do anything directly to affect this world."_

"But you're a Goddess," Clarisse said, not believing that. "Aren't you omnipotent and all-knowing?"

"_If this is what you have been taught, you are severely wrong. My powers are limited. My brother tried to take the land from me, and in sealing him away I lost so much… I saved the Palamecian people in a Holy War… but it cost them more every generation that passed until now, where people who fought in my honor thousands of years ago, are now ones who seek to dominate in the way my brother would."_

"The Demon King is your brother?" Minwu asked. "How is this even-"

"_He can no longer manifest himself here, just like I cannot… his soul is confined in the Stone in which he was sealed, just like I am sealed to this stone…"_

"Since you're here, we might as well ask you…" Cantirena said. "We need a crystal! Where can we get one?"

"_My child… if you wish to find a crystal, you will have to learn how to create one. All of the crystals were destroyed in the Sealing War. To create a crystal, you will have to take components of truth, freedom, and love and combine them in a blast of pure white light."_

Minwu nodded. "Now we know how, but we have an immediate problem to face right now. We're being hunted."

"_By the Palamecian Emperor, I'm sure. How sad it makes me… knowing that the name of the country no longer has any value."_

"That's right," Minwu said. "Cosmos, where can we find the Angel's Tunnel? We seek to escape the continent."

"_As time passes, history repeats itself…"_

The ground rumbled below them. Cantirena got up off the rock, almost falling on her face until Minwu caught her. It was a good thing she did, because a few moments later, the rock went up several hundred feet. The rock had become the mouth of a cavern.

"_When you are inside, I will close this place once again. You will find a door midway through the tunnel. Please, use it… I'm afraid that I can't do anything else for you anymore, my children."_

"If… if you didn't want us, why did you have us?" Candice asked. "I've been wanting to ask you that for a long time now! What kind of mother just… dumps her children onto a different world and says 'yeah, they'll do just fine on their own'?!" She screamed at the heavens in both anger and anguish, demanding an answer.

"_You are not exactly my progeny… though you are pieces of me… now go, so that I may protect you one last time."_

Candice went in first. She didn't even want to look at the Goddess figure anymore. She was so pissed she could have kept screaming for the rest of her life, but she stopped herself. It wouldn't solve anything, so she resolved to keep her anger at bay. Clarisse followed her, not sure of what to say or do about any of this. Cantirena went after her sisters, and Minwu very close behind.

"_Minwu…"_

"Cosmos?"

"_Thank you. For everything you've ever done. I entrust everything to you. You are a hero and deserving of the blood which flows in your veins. Those girls… they now hold the powers I once had."_

"I'm afraid I don't understand," Minwu said, noticing the girls had all ready gone into the tunnel.

"_I had to give up pieces of myself, of my powers… to be able to send them to the world… as such, they carry the powers I once had within them. So while they are sisters, in a way, they are just pieces of a greater whole. I… trust you will find the other two guardians to watch over them, as you have watched Cantirena so closely."_

"If this is what you will have me do, then I will," Minwu answered.

"_Thank you, Minwu. As the descendant of the Magi, you have fulfilled your destiny. I wish nothing but peace and happiness for you, and all of those who live in this realm."_

Minwu followed the girls into the tunnel, and when he found himself in darkness, he used the tip of his staff to light the path. As the four of them continued onwards, behind them, the mouth of the cavern went back under the sand, leaving only the rock behind.

"_This world… still has a chance… That's all I wanted to see…"_


	71. Ch 8, part 2

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 2

The cavern went on for a very long time. When Cantirena decided she was done clinging to Minwu constantly, she used her right hand to create a little ball of fire to make her own light. Clarisse just ended up rolling her eyes and calling her a show off, while Candice teased her further about anything she could think of because she thought Cantirena's reactions were hilarious.

Eventually, the four of them stopped walking. Well, not at all once. Candice was the first to stop.

"Okay. I don't care if there's no sunlight, I'm taking a break," she said, sitting her butt down on the dusty tunnel's floor. Then she looked at her legs and how dusty they became, groaning just a little bit. But she sat anyway, because her legs were done going any further. "And the first thing I'm doing when we get back up top? We find a pond or a lake or a river, I'm washing myself off. I need a good bath. I smell like… _ugh_, pirate goo."

"Pirate goo?" Clarisse asked. She sat down, too, letting her legs fold under her butt in a very traditional and ladylike style.

"That's the stuff under the fat folds of pirates who haven't taken baths in months," Candice explained, only making Minwu look like he was going to puke just from hearing that.

"_How… _do you know… about… pirate goo?" Clarisse asked, not sure if she even wanted to hear the answer to that question. Morbid curiosity got the best of her, though. She may not have wanted to hear the answer, but she wasn't going to be able to get the concept out of her head until the question was answered.

Candice shrugged. "I lived in a port that was very famous for pirates. Sometimes when they were staying at the inn, I'd get a full view of them from my dad's place. It was a pretty interesting set up, I suppose. I mean, I never expected to see shirtless, hairy fat pigs of men stand in front of their windows and scrape the shit from under their arms and fat folds." Clarisse gagged for a moment. Minwu looked like he was going to turn green. "Dad said it was made of globs of sweat that was never able to come completely out of its glands, salt, dead skin, matted hair, and whatever else you find on a pirate. Probably fish guts or something."

"Oh Goddess, please stop _talking_…" Minwu held his hand over his mouth, having to turn away from the conversation.

Candice continued anyway. "They would toss the scraped stuff out the window. No wonder grass never grew there… I always thought it was because Miss Fussfeathers never cleaned the outhouse, but from what I've read, waste from the body makes decent fertilizer. Except for pirate goo."

Cantirena shook her head. "That's… really, really gross." Her deadpan expression made her reaction seem so cheap in comparison to both Clarisse and Minwu's, so she kept going to see if she could get a reaction.

"Yeah I know. Just one of the perks of living in a pirate and crack-whore infested slum, I guess," Candice said, shrugging. "It wasn't a bad life… except for watching old, bearded, fat Viking-wannabes scrape the solidified goo from their intimate parts. That I could live without. I'm pretty sure."

Minwu put his other hand up while trying to keep himself from hurling on himself and everyone else. What a very gross thing to talk about! This was not something to share with good company, as far as the white mage was concerned. It wasn't worth sharing with _any _company! "I _swear_ I will cast Silence on you if you don't _stop_…" he said very quietly.

"Tell Clarisse not to ask if you don't want to hear it…"

"I just wanted to know why you compared your smell to that of pirate goo…"

Cantirena grunted. "I thought pirate goo was something you'd put in the motor of a boat or something… like the fuel that's burned by Sunfire in an airship…"

"Well _now_ you know."

Minwu looked at Cantirena. "Come and sit, we don't know how long the path will be. You should rest your legs while you have the chance."

She crossed her arms. "I'd prefer to lean against the wall. I don't really want to get my dress dirty…"

"Then take it off," Candice suggested. "No one's gonna stop you. I mean, now that Minwu's not under any kind of purity oath, I think it would be a welcome change."

When Cantirena reached for Minwu's staff with her free hand, she slipped. Trying to regain her balance, she fell back against the wall and against something that wasn't some kind of bedrock. When she opened her eyes, she was somehow on her back on the other side of the wall.

"Whoa," Clarisse stood up to check on Cantirena. "You all right?"

"I'd be better if Candice would stop being such a snark all the time…" she whined slightly. "What happened?"

"You wanted to whack Candice on the head, but you slipped trying to get Minwu's staff, and…"

Minwu smiled. "You've always been a klutz."

"Don't remind me," Cantirena said, sitting up. "What… hey, it's not dirty over here." She ran her hand along the floor she landed on, then she noticed that she was sitting on a door. "Oh. Looks like I busted in someone's home without announcing myself." She turned around to look behind her. "Hello? Is anyone home?"

Minwu remembered what Cosmos said. He stood up and walked through the doorway, helping Cantirena to her feet. "Cosmos said there was a door in here." He bumped the bottom of his staff on the floor to get a better look around. "So…"

As everyone started to look around, they found all sorts of things. A fire pit with a hanging pot, four beds along a wall, bookshelves full of all sorts of books, a trunk full of alchemy supplies, and a few ancient instruments that even Minwu wasn't sure how to identify. It became clear to them that someone indeed lived here at one point, but it was hard to know exactly when this shelter was created or who created it.

The first thing Minwu did was hit the books for some sort of clue. Upon examination, he found that all of them were in Mysidian, and a few of them in Ancient Mysidian. Most of the pages were so old and faded they were hard to read, even harder in that darkness.

"Hey, I found a few torches," Candice said. "Canti, light 'em up."

Cantirena lit the torches with a puff of fire. Now they all could see much more clearly than they could before. The three torches were placed at even spots where the light would be most useful.

Minwu said. "This place is ancient…"

Clarisse walked over to the big pot which hung over the fire pit and opened it up. It smelled very rotten, and everything in it was a pile of decayed dust. "Oh Cosmos… there's… ugh, it smells worse than we do."

"I have an idea," Candice said, clapping her hands once. "Minwu, you and Canti should stay here. We'll go tell the others how you're doing and where you're hiding. That way the Emperor will never find you."

"You were the one who said we needed to stick together," Clarisse said.

"There's no way in Hell the Emperor will ever find this place," Candice was insistent.

Cantirena sat upon one of the beds. "But I can't hide from him forever. He's going to destroy every town he comes across in his search for me, and there's been enough death on my hands. Hiding until we know what to do is a smart idea, but I can't just hide forever. I'm not going to let more people die because I'm some sort of coward."

"No one's saying you are," Clarisse said carefully. "But until we can break the Emperor free of the Demon King's control, you probably should stay hidden. If he finds you, who knows what he'll do to you? The last time, you forgot me and Firion. You forgot Minwu. This time? He'd probably make you fight us because his is a twisted mind like that."

"Didn't you say you were going to kick my ass if I ever went back to him?" Cantirena asked. "I have faith in you both. If I do fall under his control again, you beat the shit out of me until I come out of it." She leaned back against the bed's headboard. "I'm not afraid…"

Minwu liked hearing that. She used to sound so timid. Even though she'd been through all sorts of things, Cantirena was no longer the little girl he watched after more often than her parents. She'd become a woman, and looking at her in that low firelight, it was the first time he ever saw her as a fully grown adult.

_I wish I could have your determination,_ he thought, continuing to flip through the books he found. He was going to be at it as long as they were staying there. He knew himself too well. Knowledge was power, as the saying went.

"Well," Candice said. "I say we stick it out here. Rest a few days at least. We haven't had any breaks at all. Continuing to adventure is going to make us wearier than we all ready are, and you never know what'll be coming up in the future." She walked around the little shelter. "So we can't get a bath… but at least we can sleep on a bed."

Minwu sighed. "All right," he said. "We'll stay until we feel rested again, but no longer." He looked over to Cantirena again, who seemed like she was all ready half asleep. "Cantirena, my love, are you still coherent?"

"I am," she said. "Somewhat."

"Never mind, I'll talk with you later," he said, flipping the page of his book. "Just do me one small favor."

"What's that?"

"…save me some room."

She smiled. "I'll do that," she said, falling to sleep almost instantly. Within a minute or so, she was all ready snoring.

Clarisse half-laughed. "Well… that was quick, wasn't it?"

"It was…" Candice said, walking up to where Minwu was sitting with the book. "And now, we've got a moment to sit here and talk to you without Canti overhearing what we've got in mind." She looked up at him with that signature devilish smile of hers.

"We've?" Clarisse asked. "Candi, _what_ are you plotting?"

Candice shook her head. "I don't _plot_. I'm _planning_. There's a major _difference_."

It took Minwu a few minutes to even notice that Candice was staring up at him at all. He marked his place within the book and put it down enough to where she could tell his attention was caught. "Is there something wrong?" he asked. "You said you needed to rest."

"I need to talk to you," she said. "You're going to marry Cantirena, yes?"

"I plan to," Minwu answered.

"No, no, no, no. You don't plan to. You're _going_ to. Terminology, my dear mage, you should know the implications behind using different words, I mean, you use magic for Goddess' sake," she said, taking a book off the bookshelf. "You're going to marry our little Canti. We… no, I want it to be special. The most special event she's ever had in her life, okay? Because of that, we're going to need your help." She couldn't read any of the language in the book. It all looked liked scribbles and dots to her. "So… I want you to be my teacher, Minwu."

"I would, but Cantirena would get more jealous than-"

"So don't tell her. You'll just be her teacher when she's awake, and when she's not, we have our lessons," Candice said with a smile. "I love her dearly, but I don't know her anywhere as near as you do. You were made to be with her with how well you connect. Forget saving the world, Minwu, your destiny was to protect and love Canti. There's no denying that. So you're going to have to teach me…"

"What are you trying to learn?"

"I'm not quite sure," she said quietly. "But I think I could use a bit of your guidance as much as she does."

"I've always wanted to learn magic," Clarisse said, coming over. "And I was able to defeat the Adamantoise with magic…"

"You did, and it was crucial for us to achieve that victory, though it was a bit… pyrrhic." Minwu's voice became more solemn. "The truth is, girls, I'm not sure if I can have another student. What I said to Say-Ri is very true. It's a very special bond that Mysidian teachers have with their students. They look after them almost like second parents."

"You said you weren't Mysidian anymore," Candice said. "You have to stop thinking the way they do."

"Besides, you're not Canti's parent or teacher. You're her lover now," Clarisse added sharply. "You may consider yourself married in your heart, which is a wonderful thing, but you're not official without a ceremony. But my point remains. Your bond with Canti has evolved past what it was. You can't keep clinging to the past, Minwu. It's time to change. Canti's not the little girl you've always seen, now is she? You're not bound by the rules of the past now. You said it yourself. You're free to do whatever you want!"

"…you're both just as persuasive as she is," Minwu said. "All right. I will teach you what you want to know. Just… keep it among yourselves. Cantirena will never forgive me if she found out I was teaching anyone other than her."

"Oh? Then what about when you have kids?"

"…she might forgive me for that," Minwu laughed quietly. "Might."


	72. Ch 8, part 3

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 3

That little hideaway under the ocean really couldn't have been much more perfect. It was a warm place that felt like a cabin built inside a cave. It was impossible to know how much time had passed with no sunlight, but even so, all of the girls slept for a very long time. Even Minwu was unsure of how long they slept.

Minwu didn't want to put the books down. He loved researching and learning all he could, especially when it came to trying to end the war. He always believed that there was the right answer to any sort of question, and in this case, he was very sure that the Magi tribe had all the answers he sought. Since the tribe had died out for the most part, it was hard for him to gather the information that was common during that time.

He thought about what the Goddess Cosmos said to him a little while earlier – about him being a part of the now mostly extinct tribe. Was that the reason his skin was different, why he _himself_ felt different? Sure, his beloved student had blue hair, and it was a very rare color to have in the world, but Minwu never met anyone with the same sort of bronze skin he had. Cantirena had at least Clarisse growing up, and now, they reunited with Candice. He wondered what his birth parents must have looked like. If they had the same skin, the deep dark brown eyes, and hair that appeared red if the light hit it just perfectly. He tried not to dwell on it, but it seemed impossible. With all of these thoughts swimming around his head, he wasn't going to be able to sleep now.

He looked around, only to notice that the stack of books he gathered from the shelves now piled taller than he was sitting on the floor. There was no table or chairs in that little cavern as that was not really a Magi tradition, so he made do with sitting on the floor with his legs stretched out while he leaned against the wall. Minwu flexed his feet a few times as they were getting tingles, and he absolutely hated that numb feeling.

He picked himself up only to see that Cantirena had indeed left him room on her bed so that he might slip in next to her. That was his original intention, but he didn't want potentially to wake her up. He walked over to where she accidentally knocked over the door that led into this place, noticing that he still hadn't taken the time to fix it. Minwu laughed at himself for that. He wasn't that much of a handyman, even with ancient door hinges. He picked the door up and tried to slip it back to where it was, but it just fell down again on the other side of the wall. The sound was so loud he had to turn around to see if he had woken anyone up, but no, they were still sleeping so deeply that it didn't even matter.

He cast a spell on the door to keep it upright, and then enchanted the space on the wall to create a barrier. If he was not going to stand guard, he didn't want to take any chances. How would the Emperor find a place like this? He didn't know, and he didn't want to know. If Mateus found this place, then… everything would fall apart. Minwu added an extra lock spell to the barrier. He was the only one who could undo it, and anyone else who tried would end up with a backfire. He casted a spell like this once for Princess Hilda, years ago. It sent him back momentarily.

"_Minwu, I've never met anyone as versatile with magic as you are."_

"_Why thank you, Your Highness. Studying the vast intricacies of magic is just one of the many parts of being a member of Mysidian society. Think nothing of it."_

"_Have you ever thought to pass along you knowledge to keep it going, so that future generations might be able to put it to use?"_

"_Of course I have. That is also a part of Mysidian culture, princess. I will one day find a student I feel connected enough with and then start the process of teaching all I know."_

It was that conversation that brought up the discussion of him keeping a student along with his daily duties to the crown of Fynn. King Gilbert approved the idea, to raise another mage that would one day take Minwu's spot as the Royal Mage. Princess Hilda always admired Minwu, it could have even been considered something of a crush, though nothing came of it as she grew older and started looking to her suitors for companionship. But when Hilda was younger, Minwu looked after her as he looked after Cantirena in the years to come. Hilda said she wanted to learn magic, though she didn't have the patience to go past the first page of a Mage's Tome. She was not meant for it, and thus, as she grew closer to the Kashuon twins, his relationship with her fell apart somewhat. There was always trust and commitment, but never in the same sort of way that he found with Cantirena and her unusual interest in studying everything. He admittedly liked looking after children. All the questions they asked gave him a perfect opportunity to explain pretty much anything he knew about, and while Hilda asked, she tended to have a slightly disinterested look on her face… Cantirena sat there in awe of pretty much everything Minwu had to say. It was a very different sort of feeling, to know that deep down, what you said and did mattered that much to someone else.

He looked back over at the bed once the barrier was up and functioning the way it was supposed to. Being lost in all this thought made him tired. Minwu walked over, leaned his trusty staff against the wall and lifted up the light covers to slip in right behind Cantirena as he promised he would. Now she was only a little shorter than he was. If he leaned too closely in, his nose would have been full of her messy, curly hair. He put one arm over her side, and propped his head up with the other.

Minwu felt her breathing evenly, wondering what she was dreaming about. He extended his hand down to put it on her belly. As much as he liked watching and spending time with children, he knew that one day he was going to want to have them, and in that exact place within Cantirena's very delicate frame, they would develop and grow. He smiled. His heart had always been so troubled by pretty much everything while the world was at peace. But now, while the world was embroiled in war, his heart was truly at peace.


	73. Ch 8, part 4

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **I'm not apologizing for anything. My story is mine.

Part 4

Cantirena felt warmer than she remembered feeling when she passed out. She noticed that when she tried to roll over, her body wasn't moving because there was another in the way. It made her happy that Minwu actually put the books down to sleep next to her. His breathing was calm, just as calm as he normally appeared while awake. It was nice to listen to, considering she fully expected to wake up and find him in the stack of books, researching with his constantly tired eyes, because that was the Minwu she'd grown to love so much. Instead of rolling over to the other side of the bed like she intended to, she just rolled over to face him, staying in his embrace, only to find his brown eyes were open.

"Did I-?"

He shook his head very gently. "You did not wake me," he whispered. "But you might want to avoid waking anyone else." Minwu didn't have to reach far to kiss her forehead, which was something he really enjoyed doing lately.

"Fair enough," Cantirena said, nuzzling herself against him, cuddling as close as she could. This moment, _this_ was what she wanted, and it was blissful. That closeness. It was perfect. While Mateus held his body against her before, that didn't feel anything like this. Even though the situations were similar, it wasn't the same. "So, let me guess. You spent hours upon hours reading the books, and even though you're tired, you can't quite sleep."

"I did sleep. Quite soundly, in fact," he said, keeping his volume down. "But it's impossible to gauge time in here, since there is no natural light. Remember, all of this is underground. I know you were exhausted. You could have slept for an entire day or more. How do you feel?"

She took in a deep breath. Trying to assess the situation in her mind wasn't really working. Cantirena wasn't really awake enough to form much of a coherent thought. They were inside the Angel's Tunnel, a pathway that connected the largest continent in the world with that of a smaller island to the south. They were using it to escape Emperor Mateus, who by this point, was destroying Mysidia because she wasn't there like he knew she was going to be.

_Not like I really care if Mysidia is burned to a crisp,_ Cantirena thought. _After what happened there, hell, I could go there and do it myself! All my time learning under Minwu, I thought Mysidia was supposed to be the greatest city in the world. The home of magic, the best place for any aspiring student to go and learn whatever magic they wanted… I believed in Mysidia. I believed in the Mysidian way because Minwu led me down this path. But… what the hell was it? Glorified religious persecution. Fuck them. __**Fuck**__ them!_

Just thinking about what they said, what that Circle of Mages wanted to do, how they tried to carry Minwu off to his death like that. It all made her angrier than she believed she'd ever been in her whole life. Her aura fluctuated, catching Minwu's attention.

"There you go again," he said, pulling her away from her violent thoughts. "Nothing's even happened and your trigger temper has erupted for absolutely no reason."

"Minwu. I have every reason to be angry."

"Your wrath is not to be underestimated, my love… but I must remind you of something very important," Minwu said, putting a hand on the back of her head. He loved playing with her dark blue curls, though he never took the time to really notice that until now. "No matter how you feel about what happened in Mysidia, because I am very sure that's what you're thinking about, we still made it out of there, and we're still alive."

"They were going to _kill_ you!"

"Yes," he said. "They were, and I cried because even though my soul will ride the wheel of reincarnation, I would not be able to stay with you any longer. Call me selfish, but I'm not ready to go on just yet." Minwu smiled. "But I was willing to accept my death if it meant you would live. I know you've done terrible things in the name of the Emperor. They didn't have to tell me anything. I know the sort of man Mateus is, and I wouldn't put manipulation of any kind past him. At first, I wanted to reject it because you were _my_ student, and I felt like I was to blame. I could have guided you better, or taught you better, or something. Then I realized, lying here next to you… that the blame doesn't matter. I love you regardless of whose fault it was that it happened. Cantirena, I… I forgive you of everything that's happened and that will happen."

Cantirena felt her eyes well up with tears.

"Forgive me, I did not mean to make you cry."

"No. It's not you…" Cantirena said, wiping the tears away. "It's just that… Mateus told me, while I was in his bed no less, that you would never love me because I was a traitor. That I could never go home because if I did, everyone would shun me and hate me. He told me it was best that I stayed with him and supported him, because I chose that path on my own." She sniffled a few times. "He said that because I wanted to go with him, I had no choice but to be there."

Minwu used his hand that wasn't nestled in her hair to lift her chin enough for him to kiss her. "Don't…" he pressed his lips against hers. When he pulled back, he said, "Don't ever believe for a moment that I would ever refuse you…" He kissed her again, and again, and again. "…_anything_."

"Anything?" she asked.

"Anything," he repeated it. He was sure of what she was going to lead to, and right that moment, he didn't have a problem with that. Minwu was ready. He would give her what she wanted gladly. "Just let me know what it is you want, and I'll make it happen."

Cantirena smiled. She wasn't sure of what to ask for. Laying there, oh certainly a few naughty things came to mind, but she didn't want to ruin the moment, and there was the fact that her sisters were lying on either side of the bed. That was a bit awkward. "Okay," she said quietly. "I know what I want to ask you for."

Minwu wasn't expecting her to actually ask for anything. _She_ was the one who had dreams about them making love in the past. Here it was. She was going to beg him to give her the loving she dreamt of, and he was prepared to give it. He was _ready_, damn it. "Then tell me."

"A piece of cake," she whispered. "I'm dying for something sweet."

Not what Minwu was expecting to hear. At all.

"Oh, come ON!" Candice shouted, sitting up. "Cantirena, can't you tell the man is _dying_ to make love to you?! You made me listen to all that fluffy romantic soft stuff and you're not even gonna give me the satisfaction of knowing you two have finally gotten your sexual tension relieved properly?! We're gonna be stuck here until you two go at it!"

"That was truly disappointing," Clarisse said, also sitting up. "And if I know things well enough, until it gets out of your system, we won't progress anywhere. As a story or as anything else. Minwu, give her something sweet. Make love to your woman all ready. For the sake of development, give it to her hard!"

"You were… awake?!" Cantirena and Minwu were both surprised.

"I _was_ in the mood," Minwu said, blushing. "Not anymore."

"Is… _that _what you meant?!" Cantirena asked, also blushing. "You wanted to… oh… damn it… I'm so stupid…"

Minwu kissed her again. "No, you're not… I did say anything, after all. Next town we visit, you're getting some cake. I promise."

"Yay!"

"Fuck," Candice said, rolling her eyes. "Next time, don't even… don't… my _Goddess_, Canti, I'm just…" She threw her blanket over her head. "I'm going back to sleep. Just… gahh, your innocence is frustrating."

"Me, too," Clarisse said, turning back onto her side.

Cantirena closed her eyes. "I'm so sorry."

"Don't be," Minwu whispered, letting his breath fall right on her ear before kissing it. "It's as awkward for you as it is for me. But the way I see it, it will happen when it's meant to. There's no rush. We have a long time to get to it, and when the time is right, we won't even have to think about it."

"Oh, you shouldn't do that."

"Why?"

"My ear… just… mmm…."

"Maybe I _should_."

"Only if you want…"

"I think it's very clear, my dear, that I do very much want…"

"Then, by all means, keep going."

Minwu kept nibbling at Cantirena's ear, and she kept responding with little moans. It didn't take him long to take his position on top of her. His kisses went from her ear, down her neck, and back up again. "I could keep kissing you until the end of time," he said, "and that still wouldn't be enough."

"But you should stop, because I don't know if those two are just sitting there, waiting for us to go at it… as much as I'm enjoying the affection, it feels weird," she said.

"We'll leave," Clarisse said without even rolling over. "Seriously. You two need release."

"So you _are_ still awake."

"Well duh…"

Minwu just kissed Cantirena's forehead again and said, "Never _mind_!"


	74. Ch 8, part 5

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 5

Prince Gordon hated boats more than anything he'd ever hated his whole life. While he was glad to be out of Deist, finally, he didn't want to sit on another boat, ever. But where was he? On the damn pirate ship, contemplating the events of what happened over the course of the days they spent on the Dragon's Island. They'd been on the ship for days now, heading back to Altair. With them were Firion, who was suffering some sort of anxiety over that of his sisters, since he had never been so far from them for so long; Cid and Leila, who spent most of their time keeping the ship working right and giving orders to all of the loud, crass crewmembers; Ricard, the last dragon knight; and Elina with her youthful son Kain, the only two survivors of the Deist Massacre.

Ricard never left Elina's side. She cried a lot. He was never once romantic to her, but he did hold her every time she busted out into sobbing. It was very clear that she had gone through immense trauma, and the road to recovery was not going to be easy. Kain sometimes cried, too, but never while his mother was breaking down. He always watched Ricard very closely. Kain stated several times that it was his intent to grow up and be a dragoon just like his father. He wanted to be everything that the dragoons stood for: bravery, integrity, loyalty.

"I'm gonna grow up and rebuild Deist," Kain proclaimed loudly. His short blonde hair wisped about in the sea-smelling wind. "And we'll have a whole new castle, and a whole new team of dragoons, and-"

"My son," Elina said gently, pulling him close. She put her ten-year-old boy on her lap and run her fingers through his hair which was the exact same color as her own. "It is good to have dreams. But some dreams are bigger than what we can achieve."

Kain shook his head. "Mama, if we give up our dreams now, then… we won't have anything left. The Empire took our home from us, they took our people, they took our way of life… Mama, I want them back! No one's gonna give it to us. No one is going to give us back what the Empire has taken!"

"Kain… there will only be one dragon, and besides that… every dragoon has to have a second name. You have yet to earn yours." Elina said sadly. "That is one important thing you have overlooked."

Kain grunted. He got up off his mother's lap and walked up to the front of the ship. He found Cid there, watching the waves. To get his attention, Kain pulled on Cid's shirt. "Mister Cid?"

"Don't go callin' me 'mister', lad," Cid answered, looking down at the boy with a slight smile. "Is there something you need? Is your mother hurting again?"

"No. I have a question for you."

"Oh, well, go ahead, big guy. What is it that you want to ask this old codger?"

"Mister Cid, how did you get your second name? Did you earn it? What does Polledina even mean?" Kain asked his questions very curiously.

"Polledina has no meaning," Cid said carefully. "Except for what people give it. But, how did I earn it? I didn't. It was given to me for being my father's son. Our second names, at least where I come from, they're given through family lines. That is, if you have one."

"Does that mean I can take my father's?" Kain asked.

"If your father had one, then, sure," Cid said. "I don't see why not."

Kain walked away from Cid, looking up at the clouds above. To be honest, he didn't remember his father's second name, and it made him feel very bad. As he went closer to his mother, he looked at Ricard very closely.

_What about someone who's like a father to you? _Kain thought.

"That's it… I'm gonna be Kain Highwind!" he exclaimed so loudly that everyone on the ship could hear him. He sounded very proud of his decision. "That's my name! I'm a dragoon-in-training! The Emperor better fear me!"

Ricard was very shocked by this. "Wha… what do you mean, your second name will be _Highwind_? That's… that's mine…"

"But…" Kain said, looking down at the deck. "…you're my father _now_, right?"

Elina was unsure of how to react to that. Ricard felt very much put upon, too.

"Kain," Ricard breathed out. "Come here, lad."

Kain ran up to him, tears in his eyes.

"I don't want to make any promises I cannot keep," Ricard said, trying to remain as gentle as possible. "When the fighting starts up again, I will be in the front lines. I will fight for our homeland and all that has been taken away from us as citizens of Deist."

"I want to fight with you!" Kain cried. "I want to fight with you!"

"I know, but you have a much more important task. "

"I… I do?"

"Yes. You must live. If you fight alongside me, there is no promise you will survive," Ricard reached over, wiping the tears from Kain's face. "You must take care of your mother. If you were to die in combat, then who would take care of her? She would truly be alone."

"Then… you must come back to us when the fighting is done," Kain said.

"I cannot promise anything," Ricard said. "I may die just like everyone else. But… if it gives you strength and courage to take my name as yours, then by all means do so."

"…does this mean you'll be my father now?" Kain asked. "Then you could help take care of Mama."

Ricard tried not to laugh. He did wish to honor his best friend by taking care of the family he died protecting, and Ricard had no family of his own. "If… I survive the battle against the Empire… then… we will live as a family. You will be my apprentice and learn everything I have to teach about being a dragoon."

Kain reached up and hugged around Ricard as tightly as he could. "It's a deal!" he said.

"It's not just a war on the battlefield, Kain. We all have battles to handle at home, too. Sometimes our biggest foes are not people, but feelings and memories and sickness. Sometimes our biggest battles are even against ourselves," Ricard said, placing a hand on top of Kain's head. "Before you can fight against any army, big or small… you must fight yourself and understand what it means to make your decisions while keeping everything else in mind."


	75. Ch 8, part 6

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 6

After days of searching the Mysidian countryside, Mateus found it hard to keep his anger contained. Every hour or so when another Dark Knight came to report to him that they hadn't found their Empress yet, he started killing the messengers to find a way to release his anger. Eventually, he decided he would search himself, because apparently his Dark Knights were not only ridiculously stupid, they were also colorblind. How _hard_ could it have been to find one girl with dark blue hair and matching eyes? It's not like they were at a beach searching for dumb blondes. There normally wouldn't be anyone up near the Bog, so if there was anything human near that treacherous place, then that would have to be her.

His steps were quick, but his eyes missed absolutely nothing. After walking a mile or so, the smell of the bog was very apparent. The stench was enough to knock anyone over, if they weren't driven to stay focused on what they were doing, anyway. Mateus had determination, and there was no way in hell some damn smell was going to actually stop him from finding his bride.

Soon, he heard sniffles. It was the only thing he heard side from the bubbling liquid of the bog itself. He didn't move at all. It was clear – someone nearby was crying.

"Cantirena?" Mateus called out. "My lady, are you here?"

The crying became louder, and it drove him mad enough to blow something up. He saw a goblin on the other side of the bog, just minding its own business. Mateus shot out a bolt of lightning from his hands at the goblin, zapping it until it was nothing but a smoking pile of ash.

"Y-your Grace?!"

Mateus turned in the direction the voice came from, finding a very familiar blue haired girl running right to him. She was dirty, and her hair even messier than usual. But that must have been Cantirena. She wore a lovely white dress with gold trim, though it was covered in nothing but dust. "My lady," he said, opening his arms. "_What_ have you been doing in this awful place?"

She hugged around him the moment she could, and he wrapped his arms around her in turn. "I… was so scared, Your Grace… I… was so scared…" She cried loudly, sobbing into his chest.

"I know. Those accursed rebels took you from the Dreadnaught and you've been dragged around the country," Mateus said. "Let's go home, my princess. You need to rest after your harsh journey. Never again will I leave you alone. " He reached down to lift her completely off the ground. "You are _mine _now_._"

_Now that Minwu is dead, there won't be anyone around able to break the dark magic. This war is __**over**__. _He thought. _This world is mine._

"I'm so sorry, Your Grace."

"For what?"

"I… betrayed you…"

"Oh, my beloved princess… all is forgiven," As he carried her, he noticed something seemed a little strange. "Wait a moment." He stopped walking.

She looked up at him. "Have I done something wrong?" Her voice was fearful, her eyes teary. "Punish me if you must, Your Grace."

Mateus' purple eyes stared deep into hers. "You do _not_ carry the aura," he said angrily. "_You_ are _not_ Cantirena."

The girl pulled out a short sword from a pocket and stabbed it right into the Emperor's chest. "You're right," she said. "Don't worry about Canti, though. She's being well taken care of by someone that loves her more than the world itself."

Mateus fell to the ground. "Gaaaaaaah!" he shouted loud enough for the surrounding Dark Knights to hear. "The rebels still wish to fight my reign…"

"We'll keep fighting until you're dead," the girl said proudly. "We will never stop fighting."

Mateus looked down to see his armor was cracked and blood dripped through. He knew how to use white magic, though it had been so long since he used it. It was one of those things his mother forced him to study, hoping that he would live a life of peace. Mateus never thanked his mother for making him learn it, not until now. He put his hand over the wound, calling forth a bright light. Within seconds, the wound was healed. He grunted. "I give you credit for managing to hurt me a little," he said, pulling himself to a stand. "My turn."

A bright bolt of lightning zapped the girl, causing her to flop onto the ground, shrieking in pain.

"Before I kill you, I demand to know who you are," Mateus said.

"I'll take it… to the grave…" she whispered. "Fuck… you… and your… Empire…"

"Hm, I was going to kill you out of mercy," Mateus said, "but I suppose you would rather writhe in agony in the middle of this decrepit, goblin filled place. That is your choice." He nodded. "But, luckily for you, you will not have to suffer very long." He turned around and started walking away, leaving the girl there in the dirt, gasping for air.

The blue hair girl smiled as she felt her life slipping away from her. "So I… failed," she said to herself. "But… hopefully… that will buy Paul time…"

The trees above her rustled, and out came someone that looked like a shadow.

"Oh… oh no," he said. "Hey, come on, Say-Ri… wake up!"

"Paul?" she asked. "Is that you?"

"Yeah, it's me." Paul said, kneeling down. "C'mon, open your eyes, girl."

"I… didn't… kill him…" she was trying to breathe, but her lungs felt so fried that it seemed impossible to breathe in any air at all. "He's still alive."

"That's fine. He'll have to rethink everything. Minwu's got Canti, and by now, they're somewhere safe," Paul said. "So you've got to pull yourself together. You make a great actress, Say-Ri."

Say-Ri coughed loudly. Her magical disguise melted away to reveal a woman with dark skin and auburn hair. "I'm… done… There is… nothing more… for me." She coughed again and again, her lungs unable to help at all. She wasn't going to be speaking anymore. She was choking.

"No," Paul said, trying to help her up. "You have to live! You… you have to…"

Say-Ri shook her head. With tears in her eyes, she lifted the dagger she stabbed the Emperor with. It was still dripping with his blood, but she couldn't put up with this anymore.

"No, not another one," Paul cried, trying to take the dagger from her hands.

_As much as I hate to do it…_

Paul took the dagger from her hands and laid her on the ground. "Forgive me…" With the sword in dagger in hand, he rammed it into her heart.

_I will not see another girl kill herself for the rest of my life. I would rather give the mercy kill myself than… see another suicide…_

Say-Ri's death from that point was instant. Paul picked up her body and when he found a less stinky place, he buried her. He bowed before the gravesite. "I swear your death will not be in vain. I know Minwu has a plan, and with all the guards out of the ship, I was able to get Krystal out of there, too. Don't worry, Say-Ri. We all owe you a great debt."

A few moments later, Paul looked at the sword he took from Say-Ri. It was the Wing Sword that Hilda used, too. Something about it felt different now. He stared at it. The blade was no longer beautiful mythril silver, but now a deep, dark red. It no longer bore the emblem of a Wing on the hilt.

"It's become a Blood Sword," Paul said. "It's not the same as it was before…"


	76. Ch 8, part 7

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 7

"_You know, the rebels are quite creative. Someone tried to pretend they were you to just have a chance to kill me… I don't appreciate that very much, my lovely princess."_

Cantirena snapped awake, staring up at the ceiling of the barely lit cavern. She wasn't going to look at anything else, and since she woke up laying on her back, she wasn't going to turn at all. But she did have something to say this time.

"You know, Mateus, you really need to stop waking me up. You're incredibly intrusive." Her voice was stern.

"Huh? Canti?" Clarisse turned over. "Sis?" It took her a few moments to remember about Cantirena's attachment to Mateus, and then she thought about the fact that she didn't sound timid at all. She was being up front about her feelings. She'd never done that before.

"_Do you… have any idea… as to whom you are speaking?!"_

She rubbed her eyes, but kept staring upward. "Yes. I do. You're the Emperor of the Palamecian Empire. I know you very well, Mateus. I'm sorry, but since I'm not a member of your court or a citizen of your country, I don't have to address you by your title or any honorific. I'm not going to apologize. I don't owe you anything."

"Whoa," Candice said as she sprung up. "Canti! She's… she's talking back to the Emperor!" Her voice was loud. "Oh, hell _yes_! You tell him, girlie! Give him a piece of your mind!"

This woke Minwu up. "He's connected with you again…?"

"_He's alive!"_

"Yep," she answered. "And he's going to stay that way, whether you like it or not."

"_**DAMN**_!" both Clarisse and Candice swore at the same time.

Minwu leaned over to look into Cantirena's eyes. "You've become quite forceful. I wonder exactly where the confidence has come from?" he asked, knowing damn well that the Emperor could both hear and see what she did. Mateus had a first person view of Minwu giving her a lovely good morning kiss. "Oh, I'm sorry… I guess the Emperor didn't _want _to see that."

"Wooo," Candice said. "Climb on top of her, Minwu. I bet he'd just _love_ to see that."

"Oh, I'm sure you're right about that, Candice, but I'm not going to be so rude as to make him watch that, through his princess' eyes, no less… I like to believe that I have some tact."

"_I will have __**your**__ head on a pike for that."_

Cantirena smiled. "You'll have to find us first. I'm done being your plaything. When you want to treat me like an actual person for once, we can talk it over a nice cup of tea, all right? Get the hell out of my head, Mateus."

"_You… the rebels have corrupted your mind further than I believed it could be corrupted. Here I was under the impression that you were a broken spirit…"_

"My spirit?" she asked. "I was broken. I was broken for a long time. I thought because what I'd done in your name that I could never be repaired. I believed I was never going to be accepted by anyone. That's different now." Cantirena sat up, staring at the wall in front of her. She felt a well of confidence inside her heart, and it was bigger than any despair she had ever felt in her life. "Emperor Mateus, you can't have me anymore. You have no power over me. I'm free."

Suddenly, a light glowed around her. It was a gentle, green light that gave off a very warm feeling. The light zipped about the room, brightening everything. If it hit anything that was broken, it magically healed what needed to be fixed. It was something unlike any spell Cantirena had ever cast before.

Contact with Mateus was dissolved almost instantly. Cantirena felt like herself again for the first time since before Fynn was destroyed. She was beaming.

"You… your white magic," Minwu said, putting his hand on her shoulder. "You've broken your own curse. This green light… it's a cure spell! And not just _any_ cure spell, either. It takes true ability to cast Curaja."

"Cure… _curaja_?!" Candice asked. "There's a fourth level of cure?!"

"I'd heard of Curaga, but nothing higher than that," Clarisse said. "So… I imagine seeing a Curaja must be very, very rare."

"It is indeed," Minwu answered. "Curaja is a spell that only those with the strongest spirits can cast. It is beyond that of normal white magic. Turning that same power to attack with creates a Holy spell."

"Minwu…" Cantirena turned around to look at him. "…I've found it…" She was so relieved, she wasn't sure how to express it. "Oh, Cosmos, I… I didn't think I would ever… _heal_ again."

He nodded, pulling her close. "I knew you could do it," he said. Minwu hugged her tightly. "Remember? The light of cure is found within. It never left you."

"It's because of what you said to me earlier…"

"What do you mean?"

"Because of what you told me, I realized that I don't have to constantly fear going back to Palamecia. I don't have to be afraid anymore. Minwu, you… it's you. My bond with you makes me stronger. I can fight back." She snuggled against him. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," Minwu whispered into her ear.

_The same spirit I found underneath that rubble… the one that protected herself during a fire…_

"Wow, Canti," Candice said, jumping from her bed to the one that Cantirena and Minwu were on. "I was wondering when you were going to finally tell him off. I bet he's so pissed, he's blown up half a country."

"That's _not_ a good thing," Minwu replied with an expression that seemed like it was locked between confused, shocked, and disgusted. "_Why_ would you… say that?"

"Oh, you can't tell me he's not off blowing something up with his magic because he can't contain his anger right now," Candice retorted sharply. "If he's not killing civilians, he's probably killing his own army members, because he doesn't know how to think ahead that well. Who trains an army from scratch and then kills members of it after spending so much money on it? An idiot, that's who… I mean, how dumb can you be to set up a trap where the woman you want the most is the bait and _not_ wait there to stop the people who want to take her away? That shit was _stupid_."

Minwu couldn't help but laugh at that. Candice was a sharp girl.

_Power. Wit. Heart. Three pieces of the goddess… they're coming together…_

"So, I don't know about you, but I'm starving," Clarisse said, getting out of bed to stretch as far upward as she could. "Either we have food in the item pouch, or we need to go hunting."

"Hunting? Underground? …and under _water_?" Cantirena asked. "Can't imagine what kind of food you'll catch in a tunnel that is below the bottom of the ocean. We didn't even see monsters out there on our way here."

"Then we need to get the fuck out of this tunnel then," Clarisse said. "I'm fuckin' hungry and there are no taco stands for _miles_."

"Tacos..." Minwu said. For some reason, that struck him as absolutely hilarious.

"Yes, I said tacos. I want some fuckin' tacos."

"But we need to stay here," Cantirena said. She got up from sitting against Minwu and walked over to the stack of books. "We have to create a crystal before we can go above ground. Just in case Mateus learns where I am before we regroup to invade Palamecia."

Candice stood up. She had an idea. "Okay, okay," she said. "Minwu, you and Canti get to studying about the crystal. Clarisse and I will go to the end of the tunnel and forage for ingredients. Hell, we might find a town over there, and if we do, I'll get Canti her cake and we'll get a big box of tacos for everybody. But if not, we'll catch some rabbits or some shit. You know, stew, because we haven't had that on our adventures a million times all ready."

"As much as I disagree with this idea, girls, I hardly see any other choice. The item pouch is low on edible supplies, as I didn't have the chance to restock in Mysidia," Minwu said as he looked through the pouch. "We don't even have enough to make a stew with what's in here at the moment."

"Then it's a deal," Candice said. "Everyone, bring all your gil together… you know. Just in case."

"I gave my purse to Gordon. I've been broke since."

"Huh? You want money? Ha. I don't have money," Cantirena said as she sat next to the books. "I typically just give it to Clarisse or Minwu." She picked up one of them and tried to read it. She didn't even start learning how to read basic Mysidian past basic words, and the Ancient Mysidian text just made her dizzy. "The hell would I do with money? I don't use weaponry, most armor is completely uncomfortable, and I've always just made my own food if I needed to eat…"

"Are you saying we have absolutely no gil?" Candice asked. "Am I gonna have to go pick some pockets for us to eat tonight?"

"You had better not," Minwu said, chastising her for the very thought. Mention stealing in front of a man who dedicated his life to purity and study and expect him not to have a negative reaction? "Here. Please. Knock yourself out." He reached into a pocket and pulled out his coin purse. It made a loud noise when being handed over to Candice.

She smiled. That was a heavy little bag full of coins. "C'mon, Claire, let's go get dinner."

Minwu walked over to break the spell on the doorway. Clarisse and Candice left together, and Minwu sealed it back. Then he turned to find Cantirena was lying on the floor, half propped up by the wall, with a stack of books right next to her. He could tell she was trying very hard to concentrate on it. "Ever my student," he said, "always with your nose in a book."

"Even if I can't read it," Cantirena said sort of sadly. "I don't feel like your student when I can't even read Mysidian text. How would I join the dumb Circle of Mages without knowing how to read their language?"

"If they had claimed my life, I suspect that you would be given another teacher and be taught how to read Mysidian before the entrance exam. Based on tradition, the teacher of the teacher would be the candidate," Minwu answered her. He walked over there and sat down next to her, picking up another book. "Which means… you would have been given my teacher, Lee-Chun."

"…ew."

"My thoughts exactly," Minwu said. "But if you wish to learn to read Mysidian, then, come. We will read it together." He pulled on her so that she was closer, so that they could both see the same book clearly. "Start here…"

"…I don't even know what that one means or how to pronounce it…"

Minwu looked at her as she was staring that book in total defeat. They were alone, and yet, Cantirena insisted upon learning Ancient Mysidian? They had a perfect opportunity, and she wanted to study. She wanted to _study_.

_There are times where you are simply unpredictable…_

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Cantirena asked. "Minwu, if you want to go at it because they're gone, then what the hell are you waiting for?!"

He dropped the book instantly. "I don't know," he answered her.

Within seconds, their mouths were locked together and their hands wandering each other's bodies. They didn't know how long the other two were going to be gone, but they didn't care. Surrounded by the books, Minwu and Cantirena made love right there on the floor. Sweet talk, gentle caresses, and moans from both sides were exchanged. It was more than heaven for the both of them. They needed each other's closeness, they needed the warmth and the companionship. It was…

…divine.


	77. Ch 8, part 8

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 8

"You just wanted to leave them alone," Clarisse said to Candice as they walked down the tunnel.

"They weren't going to go at it with us there, they proved that," Candice said. Her arms were crossed triumphantly. "Minwu's loins were burning so badly, I could smell the smoke from across the room. Let them enjoy each other. I think it'll make the rest of the journey a lot easier."

"The tension _was_ pretty damn thick…"

"Exactly. Minwu and Cantirena are at that point in their relationship where things were just becoming awkward being around each other, even if they've known each other ten years. You wouldn't think that would happen, but it does. Sometimes it's hard to tell what's what when moving the relationship from platonic to romantic," Candice said as she looked straight ahead. It was hard to see much of anything in the tunnel, and they only had one torch between them. "Even if we don't find anything to eat, it's still worth going for a walk to give them that time."

Clarisse shook her head. "You sound like you know a lot about this kind of stuff," she said very quietly.

"I've… gone through a lot," Candice couldn't answer anything else. It wasn't a lie. Living in Poft was a difficult thing to do. Living in a port slum with thieves, pirates, drug smugglers, and slave traders meant that sometimes, she had to do things she wasn't proud of to get by. While her father was an upright guy, he spent so much time working on his airships that he didn't notice what she was going through on a daily basis. She felt alone as a child, wondering how a man like Cid could be her father at all. Without a mother there to explain things, most of the time she wandered away trying to make sense of everything. "…but you know what?"

"What?"

"Even with all the political reasons as to why we're together, I think traveling with you two girls and Minwu has given me the best family experience I've ever had in my life," Candice said. "That's the reason why I have to do what I can, Claire. I have no choice. I've… I've got to see this whole thing to the end… We have to protect those two."

"I'm sure Minwu can do without protecting," Clarisse said, laughing somewhat. "He's always protected us."

"That's not what I mean. Sure, in battle, both of them are quite capable of handling themselves. Emotionally, they're growing stronger, but… you know what would happen if something came between the two of them? If something happens to Canti, then Minwu would lose himself in despair. And you saw what happened in Mysidia, when they tried to put Minwu to death. She couldn't handle it. We have to make sure that nothing gets between those two, or it'll spell disaster," Candice explained. "They have to stay together, no matter what. I don't care if we end up with a world full of craters in the process, quite frankly."

"Candice… I've known for a long time now that they would be together for their entire lives," Clarisse said. "I didn't know the circumstances, but… when we sat in Galtea one night, talking about things… I could tell that Minwu needed her as much as she needed him. Throughout this journey, it became more and more obvious to me just how close they really were. The reason why Canti is the way she is now is because of Minwu. She didn't get along with our parents very well when she was very young. She was a troublemaker, always trying to get attention in any way she could for years…"

"I couldn't imagine that."

"Oh, no, it gets better."

"Really?"

"Oh yeah. You see, when we were six years old, Canti decided to go to the storage house for the magic scrolls in Fynn, which was right behind the magic shop. She wanted to go in there because she wanted to take a scroll. She said she was going to amaze everybody with magic, probably because she needed to fill some sort of emotional void that wasn't being heard properly…" Clarisse could see it in her mind as if it was happening right in front of her. "I tried to tell her not go to go in there. She was going to get in trouble. She was going to have to see the King himself, and not only confess to what she did, but she was going to be flogged for it, too. Canti was able to crawl into a hole that was terribly covered up in the side of the building. I pulled on her dress as hard as I could, but the moment Canti went inside, the building burst into flames, knocking me back onto my tush... I screamed and cried as hard as I could for someone to help. 'Help, someone! Anyone! My sister is trapped in the fire!' Mother and Father found me, but there was no way to go inside… until Minwu came along. He quickly used a water spell, but by the time the fire was out, there was nothing but ruins of the building left. Townspeople helped him remove the rubble, and in the center of it all was Canti, huddled down, chanting a spell which created a bright blue barrier. She didn't have a single scratch or bruise on her, and she didn't even know the fire was gone when we found her. Minwu was the one who pulled her out of her own barrier… and the next morning, he had come to visit us in our home. Our little outcast who no one in town wanted anything to do with was going to be the personal student of the royal mage of Fynn." Clarisse smiled. "And the rest, as they say, is history. Every day, she reported to the castle for her lessons. Sometimes, she stayed the night there because she would fall asleep studying. I remember Minwu bringing her home once on a summer night, carrying her over his shoulder while she was snoring and clinging to a book she was studying as she'd fallen asleep… our parents, they… they were so _proud_."

"…Let me guess. You were jealous, right?"

"Oh I was," Clarisse said. "Naturally, I was jealous that she had a special teacher. She didn't have to deal with the schoolmistress, she didn't have to deal with the kids at school. Cantirena got to learn magic, and she was gifted at it. My awkward sister that never had a place finally found it, and I… I was bitter. So I decided that I would do something about it."

"Now it was you seeking the attention."

"Yeah. It was. I snuck into the castle, where the knights trained. I picked up a sword, and the moment someone important came by… I challenged them to a sword fight."

"Holy fuck."

"I know."

They were coming to the end of the tunnel, as there was light to be seen a bit of a distance away.

"Keep telling your story. Now you've got me interested!" Candice said. "So you challenged an important person to a sword fight."

"The mistake I made was challenging King Gilbert."

"…and you weren't put to death?"

"No. I wasn't. Because the King had a good sense of humor, he told me that if I could best his most loyal and capable knight, he would make me a squire and have me train to be a knight. I thought that maybe that would put me on the same footing as Canti, since she had a teacher who was involved with the royal family, so I took the opportunity. The man I was told to fight was Captain Borghen." Clarisse kept going. "I have no idea if what King Gilbert said was true, about Borghen being his most loyal and capable knight. The man couldn't fight that well. When I was a child, I thought it was a miracle, but in all honesty, Borghen was so weak, even a seven year old me could best him. To this day, I think Gilbert just wanted to use my courage to suit his own purposes, so that was his way of giving me some sort of retribution… well, anyway, I was made to be Borghen's student, and while my sister learned everything about magic, I learned about combat. Not directly from Borghen, because the man didn't take that much time to actually teach me most of the time. I watched the knights in their training facilities. I studied how they did everything. I was going to become a white knight of Fynn and that gave me a very big sense of pride. I learned so much that I took what I learned home and after Firion was out of school, I taught him how to fight with wooden sticks in our backyard." That made her laugh. "So… um, yeah. I have no idea where I was going with this, but…"

"It's all right. I feel like I understand the two of you better just by hearing it," Candice said happily. "So thanks for taking the time to tell me."

They had come to the end of the tunnel. Wind blew in their faces as they came up to a mostly empty grassland. They couldn't see a town nearby, which made them both a little sad. It looked very much like they were going to have to hunt for something to eat, but that was all right. They did have each other, and that's what mattered the most.

They both made a silent promise to each other. No one was going to be alone anymore.


	78. Ch 8, part 9

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 9

Mateus was more than angry. He couldn't contain his anger. He would have blown up his airship, but then how was he going to get back home? The connection between himself and Cantirena had been severed completely by her own doing, and the Demon King was none too pleased about this fact. Mateus couldn't even think to himself without Iluia butting in with his own commentary. The Emperor confined himself to his private quarters on his airship, forbidding anyone to speak to him until they arrived at the Palamecian capital. He needed more power, more soldiers, more… everything. He needed more to claim the woman he desired, conquer the land below him, to defeat the man who led everything astray, to crush the rebellion once and for all.

"This world…" he muttered, looking out the window, watching the world below him go by as the airship flied over it. "…this world is empty and devoid of anything worth saving."

"_You actually believed it was worth saving? No, Mateus. This world is nothing but a stepping stone for a higher place. The humans here have polluted minds that deal in forsaken love and fake justice. Those beyond have a better understanding of how things work."_

"I am the supreme ruler of all," Mateus said triumphantly. "This world and all in it belong to me."

"_Then why is it that you have not been able to take what belongs to you?"_

"I'm going about it all wrong…" he said. "I thought perhaps since they were born with free will, they would freely choose to follow the one who wears the crown. This… is not so. Even for the lone woman who said she was in love with me from the time she first met me. She refuses my companionship, though I humbly offer it to her." Mateus looked about his quarters, finally sitting himself on his bed. "Instead, I was witness to another giving her affection before she told me that I have no power over her. I made her my bride, as she desired, and she repaid me with _contempt_."

"_It was not a bright idea to leave her alone, Mateus. You were the one who left her there on the airship as bait… but before you could spring your trap, the most of the power I put into her was gone. If you had kept her at your side, she would still be your adoring wife and my powerful little magical catalyst. The magical powers of the Goddess are inside that lovely little body..."_

"I believe… that it's time to change the game," Mateus declared with a smile. "I've destroyed entire cities, and I've killed countless people in both the rebel army and my own. No. This is not the right strategy. If we want to catch a bird, we lay a trap."

"_The last trap you laid did absolutely nothing."_

"Not true. I learned a bit about the world, and the bird I chase…" Mateus thought aloud. He laid back on his pillows, closing his eyes. "I need something to draw her back to me. Something she_ cannot_ resist." He closed his eyes. "And it cannot be Minwu… those two haven't been separated since they were reunited. Perhaps it could be something that Minwu needs. He would lead her right back into my arms."

"_Minwu wants to purify the world of my presence."_

"Indeed. Chasing the little bird and her entourage is exhausting and frustrating. Why, if I were to use my magic to force my will on every place that's turned up empty in my search, this world would have none left in it to serve me. Minwu would love one lead, any lead at this point… and we _have_ one on hand, I'm sure." Suddenly, the idea hit Mateus very, very hard. He snapped his fingers. "We shall have a tournament to draw in all the bravest warriors in the land. The prize will be… Queen Regent Airu."

"_Why would you…"_

"Think about it. Who knows Palamecian history better than my own mother? No one. The woman has done nothing but study practically all her life. There was never a time I didn't see her without a book in hand. Who would know more about your demonic influence, other than my late father, and myself, of course?" Mateus smiled. "She _will _serve a purpose. _Finally_."

The laid there in complete silence for a few moments until his body gave out completely. Mateus felt the weight of carrying around a second being inside him, and it drained so much energy. The longer he carried Iluia, the less time he could actually stay awake.

"_Mateus… dream of her. It may be the only way you can have her…"_

…

Krystal had gone through so much thus far in her journey, so what was walking through the Winding Mountains of Mysidia with Paul on top of it? It wasn't that big of a deal, was it? It was just very steep mountains, full of monsters, not knowing what was edible and having absolutely no supplies… but she was free of the soldiers on that airship. She hadn't eaten since before the Emperor had found her in the ruins of Altair, and it was getting harder to press on.

Here she believed she would be confined to that airship and then condemned to slavery in the Palamecian capital upon arrival, but Paul managed to keep his word and saved her from it. Not that she was grateful or anything to him. She still hated his guts. Krystal still hated the fact that she found her second home, Altair, in ashes, and that Paul actually admitted to having burning the place down himself.

"I have to know," Krystal said, pulling Paul out of his silence. "What the hell did you do this for?"

"What do you mean?" Paul asked.

"You burned down Altair. You say Princess Hilda is dead-"

"Oh she is, there is no denying how deader than dead she is. I saw it happen myself."

"And you didn't _stop_ it?"

"There you go again, making incredibly terrible assumptions," Paul said, glaring at her. "You're terrific at that, Krystal. Keep it up. No, the truth is that I begged the lady not to take her own life. I told her she could do anything else, but she was certain that the only way to buy Minwu time enough to escape to Mysidia was to die."

"She… killed herself?"

"She did," Paul said very flatly. "I did not want her to die. I did not want to see her marred with her own blood and cremated unceremoniously in the hideout which housed the entire heart of the rebellion since the massacre in Fynn, but she was my princess and I did as she commanded. I could do nothing else." He looked ahead to the path before them. He needed to get to Galtea. That was the only place left. The only place he could try to formulate a plan. "Not that it helped much, considering what happened in Mysidia."

Krystal still didn't know what was going on. "My question is… what is Minwu trying to do?"

"Minwu needs to create a crystal, an object of the highest purity and holiness, to be able to destroy the Stone of Iluia, which is corrupting the leaders of the Palamecian Empire from within," Paul explained. "Minwu is the only man I can think of who lives on this Goddess-forsaken planet that might be able to achieve that. And with the blue haired girls on his side, I think he's got an even bigger chance to achieve victory."

"That's what we're hoping for, Paul? A chance."

"Damn straight," Paul answered. "That's all we've ever had."


	79. Ch 8, part 10

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 10

Cantirena woke up on the floor of the little cavern. She looked around, finding that Minwu wasn't right next to her. She didn't get up yet, though. She felt a little tired after they had expressed their affections physically. She yawned and closed her eyes again. Sleep sounded like the best idea in the world. Cantirena was happy. She heard footsteps nearby. They lightly tapped the floor until the sound came from right next to her head.

A hand touched Cantirena's face.

"Mm," she moaned just a little. "Minwu…"

"No," a voice answered.

She opened her eyes to lock onto a pair of purple eyes right above hers. It didn't take her long to figure out exactly who was standing over her. "E…Emp…Emp… Emper…" she stuttered at first before she snapped to anger. "_Mateus_! How did you… find this place?"

"I told you that you would not escape me," Mateus answered calmly, running his clawed glove around her cheek. "See? You've missed me terribly. You will always belong to me, Cantirena. You know this to be true."

"You don't sound the same," she said. "Your voice… you… you're _not_ Mateus."

"That is right," Mateus said, though his voice was much deeper than it had ever been before. "I take this form only because it is the body I find myself in. While the owner of this body is asleep, I have control of him. My powers are much, much more vast than his are. He could see through your eyes and hear through your ears." He kneeled down next to her. "I can visit your dreams and talk to your directly."

"What do you want from me?" Cantirena asked. "Why do you want me so badly?"

"Anyone who can sense magical ability knows of your vast power, Cantirena. With you at my side, even the heavens themselves would tremble in fear," Mateus answered. "You are the daughter of Cosmos, the Goddess. A piece of her, so to speak."

"You want me to help you in your war."

"Yes. You have done this before," he said. "Though you did it for the Emperor you love. I am different than he is. I will not seduce you. You may have him, as he desires you, but I am not here because I fancy you in such a way. Cantirena, you have no idea the true potential that lives within you. I can help you bring it to life, and you will have the man you cherish. It is a very nice trade, yes?"

"No," she said, forcing herself to sit up. Cantirena put her hand on his shoulder and shoved him away as hard as she could. "I don't love the Emperor."

"Yes, you do." He only stood a few steps away once he gained his balance.

"No. I don't!"

"Cantirena… you love the Emperor. You love him very dearly. This will never change. No matter who you claim to love while awake, you know the truth."

"No…" Cantirena said, looking away from him. "I broke free of Mateus. I can break free of you, too."

"This is much deeper than the bond that Mateus had with you…"

Cantirena was confused. "What do you mean?"

"…you broke free of him, as you said. But can you break free of your own fears? Can you break free of what he's done to you?"

"You're not real…" Cantirena shouted. "You're just… a piece… of myself that's manifested in my dreams. You're my fear. You're a shadow… you're just a shadow that lives inside my heart. That's all you are!" She put her hands together and unleashed her aura. "I'm stronger than any manifested fears. No matter what form you take… no matter what form you take, I will be able to send you away."

"Can you really?"

The voice changed, and Cantirena found her concentration broken quickly. When she turned in that direction again, she found that where the figure of Mateus once stood, there was that of her mother.

"Ma… Ma… Mother?!" she shrieked.

"You let me die, Cantirena… Some great student you turned out to be. You let me die, and you have no one to blame but yourself. Not even Minwu couldn't make you useful to anyone else."

"Mother?! Ho… how could you… I… didn't even…"

"Then you betrayed us and everything we ever did for you…"

Cantirena shook her head. "No," she cried. She fell to her knees, hiding her face in her hands. "Stop it! Don't take the form of my mother! Leave her out of this! Cosmos damn you, Iluia, you… you _monster_!"

"No, the Demon King is not a true monster," the voice changed again. It was the voice that gave her the most comfort, the one she loved hearing more than any other in the world. "_You_ are."

She lifted her head up, only to find Minwu standing there, pointing right at her. "Min… Minwu?" she asked. "My teacher, my love… you… even you?"

"Everyone in this world knows the truth," Minwu said. "You are terrible. How do you think you could ever deserve my love? Why would I give it to you? You're a failure, Cantirena. You've done nothing but disgrace me…"

"Minwu…" she said. "I… I love Minwu so much. More than I've ever loved anyone in the world, ever. Even though you're taking his form, even though you're using his voice… you can't get through to me," she said sternly. "You can't break me. You are not my Lord Minwu! Get out!" She stared straight at Minwu, glaring at him, directly into his eyes. "_GET __**OUT**_!"

"I can't, and that's the sad part," Minwu said. She watched as he became engulfed in a bright sparkling blue light, and when the light faded, Minwu no longer stood there. Who was it? She was a woman wearing a white dress with a dark purple cloak over her head, holding a spell book with a pentagram on it. "Because I'm a part of you."

"You're… me?" Cantirena asked.

"I am not you. There are more sides to you than just the one filled with fear and regret…"

She looked at the floor. "You are my fears? And regrets?"

"I am that piece of you which holds not only your most negative thoughts about yourself, but what you fear you will hear from those you cherish the most. You fear not being able to escape Mateus or the Demon King's influence. You believe your parents would hate you after all you've done. And you even believe the man you love the most is the one who hates you the most deep down."

"My lord Minwu…"

"You cherish him more than any other, and you fear his rejection more than anything the Demon King could ever do to you."

Cantirena watched as the figure before her took off the cloak on her head. Just then, Cantirena felt as if she was staring straight into a mirror. "What are you doing?" she asked. "Why are you here? I'm dreaming, aren't I?"

"Yes, you are dreaming." That was her voice coming out of that woman which looked just like her own reflection.

"So what are you doing here?"

"I have come forth to tell you that you cannot push me away," her reflection explained it so very simply. "You have to face me, head on, because otherwise… I will kill you from the inside out."

Cantirena took a deep breath. "Fear does consume…"

"Not just that. But it will cloud your judgment, it will lead you down a path very similar to the one that the dear prince you fell in love with happens to travel down to this very day. You're lucky that you were saved when you were, because I'm sure you know what would have happened if the Demon King kept dwelling within your heart and mind, Cantirena. I am very sure you are aware of this. You think you have a trigger temper now? He would manipulate those parts of you that are weak, the ones that Minwu has to snap you from every time he feels your aura fluctuate. There will come a time when you must face me in battle. I may not take this form, but you will have to face me. I may not look like you. I may look like your sisters, the Emperor, your parents, or your dearly beloved Minwu. I may take the form of someone or something else, but this battle will happen. So, for the sake of us both, I need you to _fight_ back no matter what form I take."

She nodded in agreement. "I can't let myself fall down a path like this one. You're right. When the time comes, I will fight back with all of my might. I'll be stronger than my fears, stronger than my past. My present is the strongest I've ever been."

"…that's what I wanted to hear," the reflection said, giving her that same smile she always gave everyone. Cantirena wondered if she always looked like that. "I'm glad. Because even if I have to fight you, I'm still a part of you. All right, well, the real world needs you. When you see the Emperor again, be sure to tell him that… everything's going to be all right, okay?"

"But-"

"For… old time's sake, even if you have to smash his face in. Do it for me. Let him know that, deep down… he is still loved. I believe… he needs to hear it. From you."

"Hm. I will do that." Cantirena agreed to the idea. Her reflection was right. Even after all that had happened, she was still very worried about Mateus being possessed by the Demon King. Even though she had her heart promised to Minwu, she still gave the Emperor room in her heart. Accepting the fact wasn't particularly easy.

Suddenly she felt incredibly dizzy. The room spun around her. She fell back onto the floor, into the same position she was in when she woke up a few moments ago, and she closed her eyes.

"Cantirena?"

"Hey, Sis… c'mon, time to eat!"

"How long has she been sleeping there, Minwu?"

"Oh, about a good six hours or so."

"You must have really torn into her, am I right?"

"We got stew here, it's all ready bubbling."

Cantirena opened her eyes to find that she was surrounded by that of Minwu and her two sisters. She was on the floor, covered up by a single white sheet which didn't hide the fact that she was wearing nothing underneath it. Minwu ruffled her hair and sat next to her, holding up a book full of Ancient Mysidian. "My… Minwu…" she whispered.

Minwu pulled her close so she could read the pages, too. "My Cantirena," he answered her whisper with another one, kissing her cheek gently. "We should get to studying, because we cannot wait here forever. There are opponents out there that absolutely must be faced, and we're not getting any closer to it without figuring out the secret of the crystal."

"You're right," Cantirena said as Clarisse handed her a bowl of stew. "So, no villages nearby?"

"Nope," Candice grunted, sitting down with her own. "And I wanted some tacos so bad, too."

"You and me both," Clarisse replied as she drank from the bowl she held. "At least the stew is good. Baby rabbits are a pretty tender meat, and they go great with all these veggies."

Cantirena ate slowly as she and Minwu went over each symbol in the book, trying to piece everything together. Her dream was so very fresh in her mind, but she didn't talk to anyone about it. Her fears and past regrets, those were her problem to face.

_I will face anything that comes at me. Head on. I'm stronger than I've ever been…_

_**END CHAPTER EIGHT**_


	80. Ch 9, part 1

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

_**CHAPTER NINE BEGINS**_

Part 1

Reaching the shores of the Altair area took a few more days than Leila and Cid expected. The winds were unfavorable, there were many more monsters coming from the water than there was on their way to Deist, and the fish the pirates caught to cook on their voyage home only made them feel sick. Something was wrong with the world. It was as if the world itself was sicker.

Firion was right alongside Prince Gordon, who spent most of the trip throwing up over the side. He never did get his sea legs, and he couldn't wait to curl up in bed in the Rebel Base in Altair. Firion was also sick, but not because of the constant motion, more because of the ransid fish that he ate. The two of them were physically exhausted beyond all reason.

_Clarisse…_ Firion thought as he laid on the deck of the ship. He could feel that they were weighing anchor, but all of the voices around him were so faint. His life force was slowly fading away from his body. He was so dizzy that he couldn't even stand. His belly rumbled, signaling his hunger. _Are you… doing all right with Minwu? Is… is Canti okay? …I wish I could ask you in person…_

Ricard reached down to pick up Firion, who was much heavier than Gordon, who Cid was carrying piggyback. Leila and Elina both tended to the little Kain. Together they crossed the plains leading to the patch of trees which marked the outskirts of Altair.

"That is strange," Ricard said curiously. "Cid, you say there is a village here?"

"Yeah, this is Altair territory," Cid answered.

They walked into what used to be Altair, finding nothing standing but the water fountain. The place was nothing but rubble and ash. Even the grass was burned to a crisp.

Gordon opened his eyes a few time. "Should we not be in… Altair by now?" he asked.

"Err," Cid said. "We _are_."

Gordon climbed off of Cid's back by force, straightening himself up and doing is best to walk. Then, he took a moment to take into account his surroundings, and he fell right back onto his butt in shock. "Wha… wha… what?!" he shrieked loudly. "All of you must search every nook and cranny of this place. I…"

"You won't find anything," a voice said, coming out from behind a pile of rubble. "Prince Gordon…" He was the man who had been forced to be the barkeep for Imperial Soldiers while hiding Prince Scott, and the man who pointed his finger at Cantirena during the meeting of the Circle of Mages in Mysidia.

"Wait," Gordon said, looking at the gentleman who had revealed himself. "You were my brother's vassal. You came to Fynn with us… during the massacre on Kashuon."

"That's right."

"You… you're Marshal!" Gordon said, snapping his fingers. "I… I can't believe you've survived. You actually made it this far…"

"I must serve the passionate flame of Kashuon, my prince, that is the vow I took as a knight," Marshal said, bowing. "And now that Scott is no longer with us, I serve you, as you are the heir to Kashuon." He reached inside his pocket. "I carry a letter from the Princess Hilda for you." He pulled out the letter and placed it into the young prince's hand. "…and if you know a person by the name of Firion, I have a letter for him, too."

Ricard put Firion on his own two feet, but with hunger and exhaustion, he wasn't exactly fit to make a royal appearance. Firion raised his hand. "My name's Firion," he said quietly. Marshal placed the other letter in Firion's hand, then bowed a little before going back to stand next to Gordon.

"I'm…" Firion's body was too heavy underneath him to stand very much longer. He sat down and opened the letter. "Wow, I'm tired…"

"_To Firion – Thank you for proving me wrong. Thank you for putting all of your effort into the rebellion, even though I told you and Clarisse that you could both stay as civilians. You've done nothing but further our efforts towards freedom. Now, I need you to fight, harder than ever. I wish to make you the Captain of the Royal Guard from this point forward. Make me proud. All of my love, Hilda Fynn-Kashuon."_

Firion stared at the letter for a moment, unable to really make heads or tails of this. "Wait," he said. "Hilda wrote this letter, but… where is she? Can't she tell me this herself?"

Gordon opened his letter. The handwriting was unmistakably Hilda's. He knew it anywhere, as he remembered Scott showing him letters the princess had exchanged with him during their younger years.

"_My dear Gordon – I hate to leave you like this. Scott has no worries in Heaven with you as the remaining Heir of Kashuon. Please, unite our lands together officially and rule as King. Lead our peoples to freedom, Gordon. You must stand face-to-face with the Emperor as the ruler of the free realm. It's all in your hands now. With Minwu as your advisor, and Firion as your captain to lead your army, you shall not fail. Everything will come together under the three of you. We are the Wild Rose Rebellion. We will not wilt. We will not die. Stand up to Palamecia. All of my love, Hilda Fynn-Kashuon."_

Gordon felt very similar to Firion's initial reaction to the letters. "Marshal, did Princess Hilda give you these letters?"

"No, my liege. I received those from Paul."

Cid nodded. "Paul always knows what he's doing," he said. "He's never in the wrong place at the wrong time. The damn man has the knack for always being where he needs to be. We can trust Paul knows what happened to Hilda. I can only assume she's in hiding somewhere. She's a very intelligent woman like that."

"Yeah, we probably have a new base since the Emperor torched Altair," Firion agreed quietly. "I'd believe that."

Ricard looked at Elina, who seemed to be standing tall though she was very tired. "Is there any village nearby at all?" he asked. "I wish to take Elina and Kain somewhere so they may rest."

"There's Galtea, providing it hasn't been turned into a crater, too," Cid said quietly. "How about I lead you up there, while Leila sticks around and keeps an eye here on the two boys? They've got a lot more than just empty bellies to deal with right now. It's a very short walk from here to Galtea, so we'll be back in an hour and a half, tops."

"Then we will do that," Ricard said. "I am so sorry you still have more to walk, Elina."

"I'll be fine," she said gently. "I'm more worried about Kain." Kain was cuddled up her in her arms, sleeping. Elina had grown very tired and her arms were becoming weaker the longer she held the boy up. "Once we find an inn, or perhaps a live-in work arrangement, we will be fine."

"That is good to hear," Ricard smiled underneath his dragon shaped helmet.

Cid nodded at Leila. "Keep an eye on these two boys. Have the grunts go catch some meat or something to make a stew. We'll be hungry when we get back."

Leila gave them a thumbs up. "Not to worry, boss. Everything will be fine. Just get back here soon. I wanna put up a tent or two before dark. Who knows what a ruined town might have in it at night? Anything from monsters to ghosts!"

"Aye," Cid agreed.

Firion collapsed after a few moments. Why was Altair a pile of ash? He was certain that the Empire was behind it without a single doubt, but he didn't understand why that was. Minwu and the three sisters were headed to the west, and they headed east. Sure, they were shot down, but there was no reason for Altair to be nothing. It didn't make sense.

_Clarisse…_ he thought again. _I… miss you so much. I could use… one of your scoldings… right about now, haha…_


	81. Ch 9, part 2

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 2

Minwu and Cantirena were always reading together. It took her a day or so to get the hang of basic Mysidian, but once she did, the two of them were going through that bookcase like nothing could stop them. Anything that might give them a clue about the crystal, anything at all would have been helpful. While they were either sitting side by side or back to back with their noses in books, Clarisse and Candice were in charge of hunting to make food and keeping up with anything else the group needed. It wasn't until Cantirena started yawning that anyone said anything for an entire day.

"All right," Candice said. "Put the book down. Time to rest, all right?"

Cantirena shook her head, trying to concentrate on the book. "I just… want to finish this one last part…" she said sleepily.

"You're going to dream in Mysidian at this rate," Clarisse said, pulling Cantirena up off the floor. "Sorry, Minwu, I have to put my sister to bed. She's as stubborn as you are, but she doesn't have the stamina like you do."

Minwu just smiled. He was feeling tired too. "You've no need to explain," he said, not looking up from what he was reading. "My student has fallen asleep reading more times than you know. I would not be surprised if she kept doing it, even now."

"I can't sleep now, not when the world is counting on us figuring this out," Cantirena said. "We've been down here for… what? Almost four days now. I'm afraid to see what the outside world even looks like now!? Who knows what towns are still standing, if any? We have to make a crystal, and we need to do it _yesterday_."

"You're not going to be making much of anything without any rest," Candice said. She pushed Cantirena down onto the bed where she and Minwu had slept before. "So listen to us, baby sister."

Cantirena yawned again. "I thought I was an adult now…"

"But you'll always be the baby to us!" Candice and Clarisse both said at once.

She flopped down on the bed, yawning again. "I'm not…" Within a few minutes, she was out completely, and her snoring was heard by all.

"Okay," Candice said, walking over to Minwu. "We know what you did."

Minwu gave her a puzzled look. "What?"

"You and Canti," she said again, poking the side of his face.

He shoved her off. "I thought you wanted to discuss lessons, and here you are... wanting to dive into our _private_ matters…" he grunted, picking his book back up. "I should not be surprised, but I _am_."

"You're not going to talk to me about it?" Candice made a slightly pouty face.

"What Cantirena and I do alone really is none of your business," Minwu said sternly. "So I would appreciate it if you'd stop asking. There is no more discussion to be had on the matter, Candice. You will not persuade me otherwise." He was obviously annoyed. In a huff, he marked his spot in the book, put it on the shelf, and walked over to the bed to take his place next to Cantirena. "No lessons. I'm tired."

"Nice _going_, Candi," Clarisse muttered, picking up a book. She didn't understand any of the symbols in there, but she did find quite a few fascinating pictures and diagrams. Towards the ending of the book, she found pictures of people in clothes somewhat like Minwu's style of dress, but very different at the same time. "Wait... what is this?"

Candice looked over at the book from where she was sitting. "Hey. Are those… wedding pictures?" she asked. "Look… that guy's ruby! That looks like the one Minwu wears on everything."

Clarisse nodded. "Yeah, it's like the necklace that Canti wears, too. Minwu said it was a Mysidian ruby at one point. Could it be that… at one point, romance was a part of the life of Mysidians?"

"Before the outsiders came," Minwu replied from the bed with his eyes closed. "Those who belonged to the Magi tribe held that that love between couples helped promote a healthy relationship between one and the world itself. Love motivates past all things – it was a core belief for the Magi." He yawned, rolled over, and put his hand around Cantirena's stomach softly. "If one has love, one will strive for a higher tomorrow.

"Yeah, there's no denying it," Candice said, looking through the book. "Minwu really is one of the Magi. Not one of those stuffy Mysidians of today." She pointed at another picture. "The red is everywhere. The women wore red dresses decorated in floral patterns, and the men have the gems on their clothes… While Cantirena is whiter than a snowflake, everyone in these books have bronze skin like Minwu. She may look a bit strange in these kinds of clothes."

"Are you thinking what I think you're thinking?" Clarisse asked. "You… you want to put those two in these clothes?"

"I think… it would make for the most beautiful wedding," Candice said. "And so very fitting for them both, too."

Minwu didn't say anything, as he wanted to give them the impression that he was asleep, but it made him smile. He imagined Cantirena wearing the formal gowns worn in Magi celebrations in his mind. She would be able to wear those kinds of clothes. He gripped around her just a little tighter.

_I'm not going to lie_, he thought. _That would be… perfect._

"Then why don't we surprise them?" Clarisse asked. "We make these outfits and… when things are a bit more peaceful, we'll set up everything. Go through the whole shebang, step by step. All the ritual parts and everything."

"Yeah but we can't read Mysidian! And if we show either of them this book, they would just tell us to focus on other things," Candice said. She seemed disappointed by that. "Even Canti has a hard time with the ancient stuff."

"Doesn't help that the language only looks like lines and dots with a few squiggles thrown in for good measure… and we don't even know if it reads sideways or front ways or backwards… fuck, it could read _diagonal_ and I wouldn't have any clue…" Clarisse had to stop trying to make sense of it. The whole thing made her head hurt. "But… you really want to make them these outfits, huh?"

"I do," Candice said. "Because once this war is over, they're going to be living together. It won't be anything like it was before."

"You're right…" Clarisse nodded. "I… wonder, if this war had never happened…"

"There's no way they would have come together like this," Candice finished her sentence. "It took away so much from the both of them, and yet, it gave them something else. Claire… I hate to say that I love the world being in turmoil, but if it wasn't for this war… I'd still be alone for the most part. Am I… a bad person for being glad it happened?"

"I… uh…" Clarisse wasn't sure how to answer that.

_In a way? _ She asked in thought. _It's not like it's your fault that it happened. We're just making the best of a situation, right? Firion… what do you think? Are we… glad… that this war… happened?_


	82. Ch 9, part 3

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 3

Palamecia was the driest place in the entire world without a doubt. Working tirelessly in the fields outside the palace, all of the female prisoners of war had been gathered and condemned to slavery under the orders of the Empire. Anyone over the age of six years old were sent to the camp, while those too young to work were often sent to death. It was in this hell pit that the lovely former Queen Regent Airu found the darkest parts of her heart. The blue haired girl who kept her spirit up was long gone now, but she was left in this thankless hole to die. She lost count of how many days it had been since she watched Paul take Candice away. Just focused on picking new vegetables that she would never have the chance to eat herself, Airu felt her life force fade away over time. There was nothing to live for anymore.

Soon she was stopped by a hand on her shoulder. No one had ever interrupted her work before, so it came as a surprise.

"Have you thought of your sins?"

Airu gasped, turning around to see Mateus was standing there behind her. Even though she was on the verge of death, having eaten nothing but a slice of bread every day since she was brought to this camp, she tried to keep her bearings in front of him. She hadn't uttered a single word since she prayed for the Goddess to look after her son the night Candice left. Her voice was not audible at first, though her mouth moved just a little. She had so much she wanted to say, but no will to force it.

"You may return home," Mateus said coolly. "I do not see a reason to punish you further if you understand the sins you have committed, Mother."

If Airu had any moisture left in her body, she would have cried. She wanted to cry, it was plain to see on her face. The Emperor extended his hand to her and she stared at it, confused.

"Come," he said. "Take my hand."

The woman stared at her son's face. All she had was questions. Why would he even bother to come see her, unless it was some sort of plot? Airu knew the kind of man Mateus had become, no matter how gentle he was trying to be right there. This was just a mask for something much more sinister. It took all of her strength to utter one single word. "No," was the only thing she could say. After managing to speak that, she fell back onto the patch of plants she had been tending to, weakly grunting as if the fall hurt her back more than it should have.

"No?" Mateus asked. "You wish to remain here as a slave?" He stepped over so that he could stare down into her expressionless face. Her eyes revealed that she was no longer the headstrong woman she used to be. Airu was broken, inside and out. "I would rather not have you die, Mother."

"…leave… me…" Airu struggled to speak. Her throat was so dry, her vocal cords so sore from not saying anything for so long. "…to… die…" She closed her eyes defiantly, refusing to allow him his satisfaction of having broken her. "…alone…"

Mateus shook his head. He snapped his fingers, calling a few of the guards to his side. "Carry her to the palace. I will not allow the Queen Regent to die _so_ pointlessly," he said. Mateus watched the guards pick up his mother together. They tried to make her stand, but she wouldn't do it.

"Your Grace… the woman refuses to stand."

"I _told_ you to carry her. It is your duty to _obey_ your Emperor." Mateus stated it without any emotion at all. "_Must_ I repeat myself?"

One guard picked her up and carried her across his chest. Airu's face was devoid of expression, though her eyes were half-opened. She had no thoughts, no words. The only thing she felt was despair. The once strong woman wanted nothing but to die in the heat of the desert kingdom she grew to love so much over the course of her stay there. Airu would have rather died because of Palamecia's heat than live as some tool for her son's malicious conflict on the world.

"It is time to eat our midday meal… I want a roasted chocobo. What say you, Mother? A glass of wine, a plate full of pasta, and served on top of it, the large, tender breast of a chocobo? And to finish it off, a glorious chocolate pastry. Doesn't it sound _perfect_?"

"…kill… me…" Airu answered his question so very quietly. He could barely hear her plea. "…let… me… _**die**_…"

"That is no way to speak to the man who spared you from a life of slavery," Mateus said, reaching over to put his hand in her blonde hair. He gripped it as hard as he could, forcing her to look at him. "You will live, because I deem you worthy of living. I rule this world and all in it. I decide who lives and who dies. You will live and you will be _thankful_ for the opportunity." When he let go of her hair, he watched her all ready darkened eyes become darker. He was pushing her further down into that spiral of hatred, and Mateus was well aware of it. His mother was now his puppet, and even if she wanted to die, she would not be allowed to. "Now, Mother, there is something I would like to tell you. Your birthday is quickly approaching, and I've decided that the whole country will be on holiday during your celebration. We will have a tournament in your honor. You will be honored and the whole country will sing your name, even before my own for that time. So, be prepared for it!"

"No…" Airu whispered.

"What was that?" Mateus asked. "Was that a 'thank you for honoring me, my beloved son'?"

Her head only sank slightly to the side. She wanted to scream at him at the top of her lungs. Mateus was more cruel than any other being she'd ever known, in both fairy tales and during the course of her life. What kind of mother was she, to allow this to happen to her only child?

"That's it," Mateus said gently. "Come, let us dine on the finest food available…"


	83. Ch 9, part 4

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 4

Cantirena shot straight up out of bed, finding herself the only one to be awake. Something pulled her out of that amazing sleep, and she wasn't quite sure what it was. After straightening out her dress, as it had been all crooked from sleeping, and even more wrinkled as Minwu was lying against her, she headed over to the bookshelf. She was still tired, but after being woken up like that, her gut feeling was to stay awake. If she learned anything, when her intuition led to something, she needed to follow it. She was being led along for a reason. Going over each and every single book, she waited until she saw one that almost begged her to read it. There was something she needed to see, and damn it, she was going to see it.

Cantirena reached for a book that had a lovely design that looked something like stars on the spine. It was a very faded blue cover, and the stars were painted on in yellow. She opened it slowly, noticing that all of the pages were a dingy brown color. This book was ancient. She blew the dust off of it. The language was something of a cross between the Ancient Mysidian, which she had yet to learn any of, and the simplified modern Mysidian, which she was just starting to learn to read while staying in the cavern.

"Ku… ris… tal… ru…" she slowly read a few symbols aloud as she traced her finger over them. "Nu… chel… rai… to?" Cantirena thought really hard. The diagram next to the few pieces she could make out depicted a person with light coming from within their heart. "Son…gu…" Then she turned the page to see someone holding a harp that was shaped like a perfect circle. "….this is a song…" she whispered. "This is a song! The Magi Tribe believed that all music was magic, and all magic was music. So essentially, this must be a spellbook. This book has songs for the harp!" As she turned the pages, she scanned all the pictures she could find. "Ho.. rii… son…gu… rai…to…" Cantirena shook her head before she snapped her fingers and shouted, "I've _GOT _it!"

Minwu sat up instantly. "You… you've got what?" he asked.

"This book… is a songbook, and a spellbook!" Cantirena proclaimed loudly. "Holy song of light!"

Clarisse and Candice were up right after that. "Uh oh, Canti's gone crazy," they both said at the same time.

"If crazy is what we need," Cantirena said, "Then this world is fine." She smiled. "Minwu, please. You must help me. I am stumped on many of these passages. But I've stumbled on something that I believe is going to lead us straight to the crystal."

Minwu nodded, climbing out of bed. "Cosmos herself said that we needed a strong blast of pure white light to create a crystal. You use that to burn three things together…"

"That's right!" Clarisse said. "She said you put together three things… things that represent love, freedom, and…"

"…and truth," Candice finished her sentence. "So the reason why we were researching all this time was because we needed to figure out how to make the white light."

Cantirena held up the book. "This, this is it!" she said happily.

Minwu walked over to her, sitting down on the extra bed with her so they could look at it together. "Ru… nar…" he read aloud. "Haar… pu…"

They sat together reading the book or a while. It must have been hours before either of them said anything to each other or the other pair. They murmured soft exchanges of affection, passing kisses between them every now and then, until something caught their attention.

"Hey," Candice said from the other side of the room. "There's a box of things over here…" she dragged the box which was heavier than she could lift over to where everyone could see it. "…you might want to look inside it."

Cantirena was the first to scramble over to look at the box. Inside it, she saw something that she was certain she saw in that book.

_To the Magi tribe, all music was magic, and magic was music…_ she thought. _So that means instruments and things like that were magical inhibitors, kind of like how Minwu uses his staff to focus his spells…_

"I've never used a weapon in my entire life," Cantirena said quietly. "I think I understand why."

"What? Why would that be?" Clarisse asked. "Other than the fact that you're gifted with magic."

"It's because I'm a student of one of the Magi," Cantirena explained, reaching into the box. She found a circle that was made out of some kind of bone, decorated very intricately. There was a white piece that was run between the sides of the circle, keeping it tight. Strings ran from the white piece to the outside frame. She pulled it out, fingering the strings. "I woke up just a little bit ago, driven by some feeling inside that I couldn't explain to anyone who asked. My feelings drew me to that book, like it does to this… this…"

"Harp," Minwu said gently. "That's the Lunar Harp, as depicted in this book. The light we must use to create the crystal is called forth from the moon, which is why it's called the Lunar Harp. The spell concentrates the light… so that it can burn the three pieces of love, truth, and freedom into the crystal."

"Must be the reason all the pictures and passages describe a crystal having a faint glow…" Cantirena thought aloud. "Because that's exactly what the light of the moon is like."

"So we can leave now?" Clarisse asked. "We have what we need! Now, we just have to set it all up!"

"…we still don't know what the pieces are," Cantirena said. "They could be almost anything. Artifacts lost in the mists of time… or hell, they could be the souls of people."

"That would be terrible!" Clarisse shrieked. "Truth, love, and freedom… being the souls of people… burning to create a crystal?! Sacrificing them for the good of everyone else is a horrible idea and I won't condone it, even to stop the war. We've had enough death happening in our world, we don't need any more."

Minwu looked down at the book. "No, hold on… Cantirena, my love, you may not be that far off. Perhaps they don't actually burn objects together, but the souls which represent those absolutes create the crystal together… they might not actually be _things_."

"Then how do we find who represents these… concepts?" Candice asked curiously.

"…there's no way to really know," Minwu answered. "All I can do… is keep reading and hoping we find something, anything…"

"No, I'm tired of waiting around like this," Candice snapped. "We go out into the world and we find those who represent those three things, we make a crystal, and we stop this fucking war all ready!" She was going crazy, everyone could tell. "Come on, Minwu! Enough waiting around like this! Please! Let's just go and figure it out on the way!"

"That's not a safe idea…" Cantirena said hesitantly.

"If Mateus comes to you, you fight back. I don't care." Candice said, standing up. She walked over to Cantirena, who was sitting on the end of the bed holding the harp. "He broke you before, he will not do it again. You're stronger now. You have things to live for. He'll never, ever take us away from you."

Cantirena shook her head. "He told me… that… Clarisse died in battle, and…"

"Well she's alive now," Candice retorted.

Cantirena sighed. "You don't understand…"

"You can't quiver in fear down here forever."

"I'm not going to," Cantirena said angrily. "I'm not going to hide forever. I have a world that I need to help save. The problem is without a fail-safe way to make this work, I'm afraid that he'll find me and-"

"And then you _fight __**back**_."

"I couldn't go toe-to-toe with Mateus' pure power," Cantirena said. "You don't know the kind of powers he has. He can do practically anything. He has magic more than any person I've ever seen because of the darkness that he's carried with. The only way to defeat him is to make the darkness leave him. The only way to do _that_ is with a crystal!" She looked at the harp in her hand, running her fingers over the strings. "So we can't leave here without a crystal in _hand_!"

"Canti, come on-"

Minwu put his hand up. "Candice, please…"

"Minwu!"

He got up and placed the book on the bed, then walked to Cantirena's side. "You could," he said. "Theoretically, you could very well face off with the Demon King's power. You three are pieces of the Goddess, and… Cantirena, my love, you… you have unbelievable potential. I've known this since the day I met you, and I know that must be the reason why the Demon King desires you." He put his arms on her shoulders, slowly rubbing his cheek on hers from the side. "You could very well be the most powerful magician to ever have walked this green world…"

"I… don't want to fight anymore," she whispered to him, tears coming out of her eyes. "I would rather _protect _this world."

"Sometimes, the only way to protect is to fight," he said sadly. "I know this because I have dedicated my life to protecting those who need it, and yet… I can't cast enough cure spells, I can't build enough barriers, I can't protect by being passive. I must fight if I'm going to protect everyone I want to look after, including _you_."

Suddenly, Cantirena remembered the dream she had not too long ago. She was going to have to face her fear and battle it, and she said she would. But when it came time to actually go forth out into danger, it was much harder to keep that resolve. She reached to Minwu, pulling him closer.

"…don't be afraid of the power you contain," Minwu said gently. "Don't be afraid of who you are."

She cried. Loudly.

"You can fall into the Demon King's possession again," he added, though he wasn't quite sure if that was a lie or not. "But, remember, you are stronger than you've ever been, and you're going to get stronger. Even I know this much."

"I'm… _scared_."

"Of course you are," Minwu said, putting his hand to her chin. "We're all scared."

"I'm not," Candice grunted.

"…okay, so Candice isn't," Minwu said. "Whatever. That's because she's so short-sighted she doesn't have a clue of what we're up against."

"_Hey_!" Candice interjected. She was going to ramble, but Clarisse just slapped her hand over her mouth to keep her from saying anything else.

"Listen, Cantirena, the truth is that you can't be strong or brave without knowing what fear is. You have to understand what it means to be scared, and feel it in your heart, before you can rise above it. We may very well fail, but there's no way we can succeed without trying," Minwu said. He pulled her close for a kiss, then when he let up, he used his other hand to wipe away the tears under her eys. "I can comfort you until the day the world ends, but you must find your resolve and stick to it. We will all be at your side, even if we're not there physically with you. We will never leave you. _**I**_ will never leave you."

"…all right…" Cantirena said. "We'll… find a way back to… to… home. We'll sort it all out… on the way…"

"I think that's for the best. I'll translate the book on the harp for you as we go, and we'll do our lessons involving that as we have the time," Minwu said, kissing her forehead. "Pack up, girls, we leave today."


	84. Ch 9, part 5

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 5

The lady Airu woke abruptly as if the dream she had snapped her from what was a mostly disjointed, terrible sleep. She was lying in a bed, her body aching and sore. She didn't have the strength to move. As she looked about the room, she found it to be familiar. It was the same one that Mateus had her taken from, the day she was sent to the slave camp. Everything inside it was the same, except for one thing.

She wasn't the same.

A nurse was sitting at her side, reading a book. The woman was clothed from head to toe much like what Airu remembered the Mysidian people wore. It had been a long time since she came into contact with anyone from Mysidia, though the last time it happened; she found them to be stern and somewhat strange, but overall very nice people. It was for a political gathering right after she married into the Palamecian family. They came to detail the situation in Mysidia, which was rare for any of the magic people to ever do. Her husband, the previous Emperor, gave them food. The crops in Mysidia were not there that harvest season. Airu remembered very well that she was all ready pregnant with Mateus by that time. Airu let out a barely audible sigh when remembering that. Life was much simpler when she was still pregnant.

When the nurse looked away from her book, she noticed that Airu's eyes were open, though only about half way. "My lady," she said. "His Majesty has given me strict orders to look after you." The woman had an accent, like Airu expected. "You must be able to walk and present yourself before your birthday. He has said that if you are not ready before the celebration, then…"

"…then you will pay the price," Mateus' voice finished from the doorway. "What did I tell you about notifying her of _your_ situation?" He walked in and held up his hand like he was going to charge a spell right in the nurse's face. "I have no room for those who _disobey_ my orders."

"Have…. Mercy," Airu said, reaching up to Mateus. "Emperor, have… _mercy_…" Her voice was weak. He could sense her sadness. She did, after all, refer to him by his title and not by his name. He smiled.

"If you like her so much, I can let you keep her as your attendant," Mateus said, putting his hand down. "Be thankful the former Queen has deemed you worthy of living. You will serve Lady Airu until your death. Is that understood?"

"Yes, Your Majesty," the nurse whimpered softly, bowing so low before him that her forehead almost touched the floor. Watching her bow, it reminded him of Cantirena bowing before him when he first spoke to her. It made him somewhat nostalgic for those days, when victory over the rebellion was so close. He missed his lovely toy.

"Now," Mateus said quietly. "Mother, your attendant will help you dress so that you may come dine with me. When we tried to feed you before, you seemed to need more rest than nourishment. So, come with me so that we can put something in your system. Something that will bring you back to your former radiance would be the best, yes?"

Airu had to play her cards right if she wanted to live. Part of her wanted to die, but now she had someone counting on her. The servant girl would be put to death the moment she was not there to save her. "Yes," she said quietly, "Sounds… lovely."

"I _knew_ you would see it _my_ way," Mateus said, once again extending his hand to her. "As long as you understand the circumstances as to why you are here, there will be no difficulties." He lifted her so that she would stand, and then pulled her in for a hug. He knew that was a great way to get on his mother's good side. "Oh, that's right. I didn't tell you that I've chosen a bride, did I? A lovely young girl with beautiful blue hair, she's a vision of purity and elegance."

"Bride…?" Airu asked. "Blue hair?" The image of Candice came to her mind, but then, she remembered what Paul had said. There were other girls with blue hair in the world, too. There couldn't be that many, considering it was so very rare a hair color.

"Yes," Mateus said. He was beaming, though it was hard for Airu to tell if he was being genuine about his happiness then or not. "Unfortunately, she is not here, so I cannot introduce you, but that will change by your birthday. She will be attending the tournament in your honor, you see. You will meet her then."

_When I kill her teacher and claim her for my own… forever…_ he thought, knowing that without the shadow of a doubt that it was a fool-proof plan.

Airu could only ask one thing. "Does she… love you?"

_What an irritating question! _ Mateus thought angrily. _If you were anyone else…!_

"My bride adores me and cannot wait to come live here with us in our palace. She's all ready come to visit. Stayed a whole week. The poor dear didn't want to leave me, but she has things to do at home before she comes here," he explained. His voice was like sugar. He spoke so sweetly that Airu had a hard time from feeling sickened by it. "I'm so excited to have her come home to me. I miss her very much."

As she spoke, she found it easier to speak again, like her voice was coming back to life the more she used it. Words came much easier. "She sounds like the perfect girl," Airu said carefully. "I am happy for you, my son… my Emperor."

"Oh, Mother, just wait until you hear the tiny scampering feet of your grandchildren through the halls," he said. "You will have want for nothing more than to hear their laughter."

_Children_… Airu thought worriedly. _As much as I want grandchildren… you… you would not make the best of parents…_

"What is that look for?" Mateus asked. "Are you displeased?"

"Heavens, no," Airu said. "I only worry for your sake. For you, and for the great Palamecian Empire." She pulled away from her son only to sit back on the bed. "If we are to dine, then please, allow me to dress before you escort me anywhere. I… I fear I am not ready to face the castle in my current condition." She closed her eyes. She needed time to think without being stared at like she was.

"Very well," Mateus said. "Your handmaiden will assist you. I will not dine without you, Mother. We must be a family for the new heirs that will surely be on their way very soon."

"Yes, yes. Children need steady families," Airu agreed, watching Mateus turn to leave the chamber.

"And remember, servant girl… if anything happens to my mother… you will be the one to endure the punishment," Mateus said, walking out the door. A guard who stood out in the hall shut it the moment the Emperor was no longer in the room.

After a few moments passed, Airu shook her head in disbelief. "I have to get out of here," she said quietly. "I need to get away…"

"But, milady," the servant girl whispered, "You would be hunted by the Emperor."

"I would," Airu said with a nod. "Help me dress, err… what should I call you, miss?"

"My name is Lina," the girl said. "My sister Leila said she would return… but she has yet to."


	85. Ch 9, part 6

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 6

"Minwu! Look!"

Minwu turned to look behind him, noticing that Cantirena was pointing at the cave they had just walked out of. The rock with the opening had sunk right back into the sand, leaving them with no way to go back.

"So that's it. We have no way back in," he said, putting his arm around Cantirena's shoulder. "But we don't need that, do we?"

"…nope," Cantirena said, looking at him. "We'll be fine."

"All right!" Candice shouted loudly. "Let's find a settlement or something! I need a bath."

"And tacos!" Clarisse added. Those two walked arm-in-arm ahead, scouting the land and taking out any monsters that came along together. They really were like two peas in a pod.

Cantirena watched them, but she walked with Minwu, holding onto his hand. In Minwu's other hand was his trusty staff. She'd never seen him without that staff far from him, and she figured it would be a very strange thing to ever see him without it. She wondered if she'd ever be able to be like those two were. They seemed so carefree even in the middle of all this turmoil. She was a little jealous of that ability, as she wore her concern and fears visibly.

"Do you wish to be with your sisters?" Minwu asked her quietly.

"Why would you ask that?"

"You watch them longingly," he answered. "Like you wish you could… play with them. You've always looked at your peers with a sense of confusion, my love. You've always wanted a sense of acceptance that most did not have in them to give you." Minwu pecked on her cheek before they continued walking. "I've seen this first hand. Even when I told you to go and play, you would sit there and watch them out the window. The children of Fynn were beyond your understanding, even if you could understand all of the writings in a magician's textbook years before most do. You wouldn't go. It was like you were more afraid of a group of children than the king himself."

"Why would a child of a Goddess have… inhibitions like these?"

"Because. You may have the power of a Goddess inside you, but you're not a Goddess yourself. You are just as mortal as the rest of us," Minwu answered. "You're human. Having fears, having these… inhibitions… they make you human. You're the same as everybody else. Made of the same stuff we are. Cantirena… is something wrong?"

"Sometimes I feel like I don't belong in this world. Like, I was put in the wrong place."

"Oh my dear," Minwu nodded. "I know."

"You do?"

"I felt like that for so long," he said quietly. "Not only did I feel like an outcast in Mysidia, but I felt even worse in the middle of the culture on the outside. I wondered if there was anyone who would ever understand me, accept me. I found work in the castle, but I did not care for the manners of court. I would just spend the most of my time in the castle library and…" Minwu looked down at the ground. "Sometimes, I wonder how I even made it this far. It wasn't until I interacted with you that I found someone who… I saw myself… and I understood. It all made sense."

"It's… different now, though," Cantirena said. "Right?"

"So it is," Minwu said, smiling from ear to ear. "So… it is."

"_**Hey**_!" Candice shouted. "Are you two gonna stand there and whisper romantically all day, or are we leaving this Goddess-forsaken continent?" She waved at them from quite a distance away. "Hurry up!"

Cantirena and Minwu laughed together.

"Don't get your knickers in a twist," Minwu said. "We're coming."

"At the pace of a sleepy snail," Clarisse added loudly. "Come on, I see tents over the top of this hill!"

"Tents?" Cantirena asked. "Like a campground?"

"…there's only one group of people that ever made their settlement completely out of tents," Minwu said. "As they lived as nomads…"

"The Magi Tribe," Cantirena finished his sentence. "Do you think… maybe… they might be…?!"

"No. Remember, Cosmos herself said that she tried to save them but was unable to," Minwu reminded her. "But…" it was hard not to get his hopes up. Perhaps he could find the place of his birth, the place where his parents lived? Maybe, he could finally have his answers? It was hard not to hope for that outcome. "…we will go and see. Together."

She agreed, saying "Together! Together always."

"That would be my only selfish wish of this world," Minwu whispered. "Together always."

…

Emperor Mateus sat at his dining table, wondering where his mother was. Lady Airu was never the type to be late for any reason, and this was starting to rub him the wrong way. It didn't help that the Demon King Iluia was quite active that evening. Mateus' nerves were becoming frazzled the longer he sat there and waited.

"_Mateus…"_

"What is it?"

That's when Airu came from the shadows, wearing one of her old lovely ball gowns. She walked somewhat slowly, as she still felt weak, but a guard was helping her stand as she approached the Emperor. "Pardon me," she said, bowing her head. "I did not mean to be late."

"_Are you sure you can use your mother as bait for the trap?"_

Mateus didn't want to answer Iluia's voice, not with his mother right in front of him. The woman all ready knew he was deranged. It would only get worse, and he would lose her trust if she knew he was hearing voices, too. He ignored the grumbling of the demon which had taken root inside his body and addressed his mother directly. "No, no, I was worried for you. Did you find everything?"

"You did not move it while I was gone," Airu said gently. "It's like you… knew I would be returning."

"I had planned on giving the room to my beautiful bride so she would have her own space," Mateus answered, watching Airu sit at the table to his left. He sat at the head of the table in a chair taller than he was even with his golden headdress. "But before we could arrange any formal ceremony, the poor dear just had to go home and take care of things."

"Arrangements?" Airu asked. It felt great to have her voice back. She remembered the little nurse Lina helping her drink a lot of purifying water to clear her throat before getting dressed. It helped a lot, though being able to speak made her much more nervous about possibly shooting off and triggering her son's temper again. "Where is your fiancée from, if I may ask?"

"She is from Fynn."

"Fynn? You do not speak of the Princess, do you? I recall Hilda having lovely yellow hair."

Mateus shook his head. "No. I met her there at the castle at the summit before the father passed away. She is the student of the white mage, Minwu. Very gifted, very capable of being my beautiful, powerful Empress to rule alongside me, you know. I would not select a woman not worthy of me, Mother. You should know this."

Airu knew she'd heard about something like this before. After a few moments, she realized that Mateus was speaking of the girl that Paul was looking for. "Your Highness," she said somewhat hesitantly. "Is this girl… is her name Cantirena, perhaps?"

"Then you have heard of her," Mateus said as a servant came up to pour him a glass of wine.

"I have indeed," Airu said quietly.

_She was here, but she's gone now? Does that mean Paul came and rescued her?_ Airu thought. _So she doesn't love him. He… kidnapped her!_

"Oh… wonderful," he said with a slight smile. "The legacy of Minwu extends far beyond the country he serves. He has raised a lovely girl who behaves just like a princess. So timid, so _tender_… hm, and her voice is like a song which carries me to a world of freedom, you know. To hear her call my name is to hear angels proclaim their Goddess has come… hm," The thought was turning him on a little too much, so he decided to change the subject quickly. "Mother, are you excited for your birthday celebration?"

"…certainly," Airu didn't sound very convinced.

"I hope so!" Mateus said, putting his hand on the table. "Bring out the feast!"


	86. Ch 9, part 7

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 7

Once Firion had time to recover, he went back outside the ruins of Altair to build his strength back up by slaying monsters. He wanted to make sure that everything worked like it should before they had any more big missions in the future, especially with what Princess Hilda wrote to him in that letter. Firion was a captain now, and he vowed to do good by that title. He wanted to keep his sense of honor - not to defile the name of the position in the way that Borghen had. He often stopped to think of Clarisse and Cantirena, as he missed them both, and he was curious to know how Minwu was getting along. He'd never been apart from those three for such a long amount of time, and even though he knew he would be scolded for some fool thing, he missed it dreadfully.

Ricard came back with Cid a few days ago, and together with pirate captain Leila and Prince Gordon, they made an effort to search the town for anything they could. Firion remembered what it was like to find Princess Hilda's crown crushed on the floor of what used to be the rebel base. How Gordon fell to his knees, screaming as loudly as he could. He laid there on that burnt floor and wept for an entire day before coming back out with a much more serious expression that he ever had on his face before. Cid was visibly pained by what he found, but the old pilot didn't let him affect him the way that it had affected Gordon. Ricard wept silently for both the Queen he served and the Princess the rebels served, knowing that there were no more monarchs to lead the war effort save for Gordon. Firion felt hopeless in that moment. He tried to comfort Gordon, but Gordon wanted none of it, so Firion ended up spending a lot of time away from the party members.

Every time Firion thought about what happened in the rebel base's ruins, he was overcome with a paralyzing fear that perhaps this war really was a lost effort. He wondered exactly where the hell Paul was and why he didn't defend the Princess. Eventually that fear turned into something like hate. He wanted to beat the shit out of Paul for letting Hilda become a charred husk.

Soon Firion could hear voices coming from somewhere out in the distance.

"I don't expect you to understand," a voice said. "But I can't go back to Galtea."

"You should, this battle is no place for you," another replied. "You are the trainee of a weapons smith, not a squire. You have no preparations for combat, so I have no choice but to take you back home to your Grandfather."

Firion could tell that it was a man and a woman having a discussion, but what were they doing talking like that while traveling? As he squinted, he could see that they were familiar figures: the greatest thief in the world, Paul; and a little spirited teenager with light green hair, Krystal. Now he really had questions to ask.

"Hey!" Firion called out to them, waving. "Is that you, Paul?"

"Firion?" Krystal asked, surprised to hear that voice. She ran faster all the way up until she was right in front of Firion, then glomped around him suddenly. "It's nice to see you again, friend."

"Hm, friend," Firion muttered. "Paul hasn't done anything to hurt you, has he?"

"Now why would you ask that?" Krystal asked.

"Because it wouldn't be the first girl he's hurt," Firion grunted angrily. "I have to make sure there's been no repeats going on here, if you catch my drift."

"There's nothing to worry about," Krystal answered Firion's query simply. "Paul and I got started on the wrong foot, but there's no doubt that he means the best for all of us and that he's committed to the rebellion. He did come back to save me from the Emperor, after all. I didn't expect that, considering the impression I had of him at first."

"You're all so quick to judge a thief," Paul said as he approached them both. "Firion, m'boy, we have much to discuss. I take it that the Kashuon attendant found his way here and delivered the letter as I told him to do so?"

"Yes," Firion replied.

"Good," Paul said. "Then you know everything you need to know."

"No, I think everyone here needs to know exactly why Princess Hilda's crown is crushed on the floor of a destroyed base and why her body is nothing but a charred husk, Paul. You owe a damn explanation to everybody, especially Gordon!"

Paul sighed. He was going to get this question no matter how often he explained it, no matter how many people asked him. The story never changed. He always told it as coldly as he could, because otherwise, he would have lost himself in every bit of emotion that those hearing it did.

When he came back to where everyone had set up camp, he introduced himself to Ricard and he told them everything that was on his mind. He explained the situation in Mysidia, and why Hilda believed she needed to give her life to buy Minwu time. He told of what happened in Mysidia and why Minwu wasn't there yet. He even went into detail about why Krystal was with him, and all his thoughts and feelings about having to make a deal with the devil himself to save her life. Krystal cried a few times, Cid wiped his eyes at least once, Firion was left with a sweeping feeling of 'what the hell can I do now', and Gordon lost it when Paul explained that he couldn't stop her from stabbing herself before giving the orders to torch Altair.

It was round two of mourning for Gordon. Immediately after hearing it, he got up and walked off by himself. Everyone could hear him sobbing and shouting all sorts of obscenities at whatever deity above would listen to him, begging for Hilda's comfort, and most of all, the guidance of his brother. Gordon had never felt so alone before, because while his brother was dead, at least Hilda was there to give him support.

It was then that Gordon decided the moment Minwu returned, they were going to prepare a counterstrike. No longer would any Imperial exist in her castle as long as he drew breath!


	87. Ch 9, part 8

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 8

Minwu climbed that hill as quickly as he could. Part of him wished he was wearing pants, he figured it would probably help him move more efficiently in this situation. Cantirena was the slowest at moving upward, as everyone was expecting. She told him to go without her, and that as long as she could see them ahead of her, she'd be able to keep going. Cantirena was never the type for physical activity, even when she was a child. He climbed up and when he got to the top, he looked over everything.

"Look," Clarisse said, "There's a bunch of tents over that way."

"So there are," Minwu said once he had caught his breath. He looked behind him to see Cantirena was making her own pace. "We'll wait here. I wouldn't dare leave her."

"We know, we know," Candice said, nudging him a little. "You wouldn't let her get too far from you."

"Mateus may not be on this continent, but someone who is acting as his eyes just might be," Minwu said softly. "He has spies all over the world, I'm sure. You three all have blue hair, and that's one of the identifying marks…" He frowned a little. "We need to hide your hair color until we get back home. Do you have anything you could hide your hair in?"

Clarisse wrapped her red scarf around her head and tucked all her hair inside it. "Like this?" she asked. "It's all I've got to work with at the moment, so…"

"It's perfect," Minwu said as Cantirena finished climbing up to the top of the hill. She sat down next to them to catch her breath. "My love, do you have anything to hide your hair in?"

"What?" she asked. "Why would I do that?"

"Because I don't know if the Emperor has spies out here, and I don't know how long we'll be staying in the settlement of tents," Minwu said. "If he has any men out in this place, they'll know to look for blue hair. You three are the only people in existence with blue hair. You must hide your hair."

"You were the one who threw away your turban and cape," Cantirena said, feeling her heart race. "That would have been useful now."

"Hm," Minwu agreed, opening the item pouch. "I suppose I have no choice then." He reached inside and started ripping cloth until he had a big enough strip of cloth to hand to her. "Here, Cantirena, I want you to wrap up your hair." Then he ripped another big strip and handed it to Candice. "You, too, Candice. I will take no chances."

"No chances, huh…?" Candice asked, doing as she was told. "Anything's better than being captured by that horned tyrant. I've been caught by him twice all ready, and I'm not looking forward to a third."

"I don't want to be captured by anyone, period," Clarisse said, stuffing every last tuft of hair inside her scarf. "This is nothing."

Cantirena wrapped her hair in the cloth Minwu gave her, and noticed that it smelled familiar. She knew the smell all too well, and it made her feel safe. It smelled like Minwu's robes, which was something she had no issues with at all, of course. She could have curled up in that little scrap, if only it were big enough to envelope her completely. "Where… exactly did you get this cloth from, Minwu?"

"…we only need one tent," Minwu answered quietly, looking away from her. He didn't have any emotion in his voice when he answered that question. Everyone could tell Minwu felt pretty badly about having to do it, but at the same time, Minwu was ever the fatalist and wouldn't be the type to fight against what needed to be done. "To ensure you three make it back home, we'll have to make a few sacrifices."

"Well, shit, don't make me feel too bad or nothing," Candice muttered. Her eyes immediately went down to the grass below her high-heeled boots, watching the blades play back and forth as the wind brushed along them. Ripping up one of those magical, smell-hiding tents? Ripping up one of the only two shelters they could rely on at all times because they were too short-sighted to bring cloaks or hoods or even more Mysidian turbans?! She felt like that might have been a just maybe a smidge excessive.

"Not one of us knew what was in store for this journey, Candice," Minwu said, looking at the tents nearby. He had a sense of foreboding and it made him very apprehensive. There was something down there, but he could not tell if it was friend or foe, or if it was even human at all. His senses must have been dulling over time, and he silently hated himself for it.

"Well this is weird," Cantirena said. "Talk about role reversal, Minwu… usually, you're the one who hides your hair, and look… your hair is being fluffed about by the wind while ours is in hiding."

"Hmm," Minwu said. "How does it feel?"

"Kinda weird," she replied. "I like it better when my hair bounces when I move. Having it tied down and hidden feels very… tight."

He didn't want to go to that settlement, but he felt they had no choice. Minwu needed a way to cross the seas to get back to the Altair region. Who knew? By this point, Firion and the others were probably back from Deist, and they had questions that needed to be answered, and they needed solutions for their problems, too. Minwu had so few options other than to keep going. He wasn't going to give up, but he wasn't going at it at full force like he was before, either. Part of him wished he could have stayed with Cantirena in the Angel's Tunnel until their olden days, but he knew it wasn't the right thing to do. Selfish wishes aside, there was a world that needed saving, and he was going to do all he could.

"Let's go," Minwu said somewhat sternly, helping Cantirena onto her feet.


	88. Ch 9, part 9

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 9

The Emperor Mateus had spent time with his mother, as he planned. What he found out about her was that even though she was acting obedient, she had other things on her mind. She never once looked him in the eyes during their conversation, and she hesitated before giving most of her answers. He was slightly disappointed that she wasn't his willing puppet now that she'd rested and had some nourishment, so he decided to make sure things were going to go his way, even if they weren't right then. After he dismissed his mother from the dining table, where she ate only enough to satisfy his inquiry as to why she wasn't eating, Airu slowly walked away, and the servants came along to clean up the mess. It took perhaps twenty minutes to clean off the whole table.

Once they were gone, the Emperor didn't have much to deal with, aside from that damned pesky voice which dwelled in his head. Mateus hated that voice. He had the power of Iluia in his body, at his service, so why was Iluia still acting like he owned them? The only power Iluia still had of his own accord was that which still slept within the stone the Palamecian Royal Family had guarded for many generations, and after he left to chase down his desirable Cantirena, Mateus had the stone put away in a deeper location than where he had it during the time when his Dark Princess was staying with him.

How he _missed_ her.

Sure, under the Demon King's influence, she wasn't as genuine as she was normally. She still gave him affection unlike any other woman had, and it seemed as though she was honest about her love for him. Cantirena would have made him the loveliest bride, and she slipped out of his hands due to his own short-sightedness. Mateus had her under the impression that she was not only married to him, but that she was carrying his heir. The dark powers Iluia lent him were able to influence memories and dreams as well as directly possess. If only he had taken her more often, or perhaps, if he waited to lay his trap and kept her directly at his side until the rebels decided to come home to him, would he have left a much more lasting impression… Cantirena had only been with him a week, and during that week, she did nothing but receive his affections or sleep at his side during the swirling evil stone.

But, if he had her now, in her current condition, he didn't want to lay with her in the energies of darkness. Mateus didn't want her to become possessed by that maniac Demon King this time. He wanted to show her his Empire. The time before, something about it… something about it didn't seem right.

No, no. It was right. Mateus was the Emperor. What he wanted, he damn well got, and she put up a resistance against him.

Well, the reason why she refused him was because she was afraid of the evil in the stone hanging over the bed. Anyone with half a spirit sense would have been scared of that frightful thing and the way the energies came forth from it. Even past heirs of the Palamecian Royal Family were scared of it, and because of their inability to handle being close to the most powerful of all demonic beings sealed within the stone, they did die in the past.

Mateus shook his head. What was happening to him? His head ached, and it felt as if his heart was being torn into two sides based on how he treated the one person in the world who he believed actually loved him for who he was at one point. He believed that, by now, she had come to hate him. Minwu broke the spell on her somehow, and not only that, but he saw, through her eyes, that Minwu kissed Cantirena directly, in a romantic sort of way… and her reaction was one of pure adoring bliss.

"_Why are you thinking about this?"_

"I've… done something terrible," Mateus answered. He looked around to see that during the time he was lost in thought debating with himself, he had brought himself back to his throne, which was the place in the palace where he liked to sit and think most of the time.

"_Come now, are you going to tell me that you actually feel… __**regret**__ over what you've done? You are the Emperor and reign on high in this land, remember? Nothing is beyond you or above you... Or, are you as human as the rest of the filth in this world?"_

"I may be human, but I am superior to you, Iluia," Mateus said, resting his head on his hand like he tended to do. "I am much more superior to you. I do not wish to hear your voice in my mind ever again, or I will find a way to destroy your stone myself."

"_I am who gives you your powers, Mateus. You would not dare destroy that which gives you-"_

"I do not need your powers to conquer this world," the Emperor replied coldly. "I do not need anything you have to offer, though what you provide me with is a great offering, it is not enough to save your life, should you actually manage to make me angry enough to decide to terminate you." He closed his eyes, and all he could see in his mind was the girl from that meeting in Fynn. It seemed so long ago, meeting her when she was just an innocent student.

"_You believe that she will come back to you, after all that's taken place? Not willingly. Not without my powers of possession and manipulation will you be able to keep her for yourself…"_

"You forget, Iluia, love is one of the most powerful motivators for a typical human," Mateus said, his tone not changing. "If I am able to show her that I truly do love her, and that I have changed my ways, perhaps she will wander back into my arms willingly. Perhaps Minwu was giving her physical affection to keep her from running back here to me, as a safety mechanism of sorts. There is no way I would believe someone like Minwu would actually look at someone he practically raised as a _lover_."

"…_so what do you plan to do?"_

"…I will send a spy or two to the Altair region. They will notify me the moment Cantirena is within the area, along with Minwu. That is when we will announce the tournament in my mother's honor… and we will sue them for peace."

"_You would show them that you are your old self again?"_

"You catch on quicker than I imagined you would…"

"_There will be those who do not believe you have mended your ways."_

Mateus nodded at that. "And we will just have to deal with those who can see through my traps, but… as long as I can separate Cantirena from them and bring her to me, to make her see that I am the prince she has long to be with... then the rest will fall into place. She and I will marry, and then the war will resume, with every single person who does not live in the Palamecian Empire's borders condemned to eternal damnation for ever thinking of raising a finger against the One True Emperor."

He could then hear the quick clacks of shoes in the hallway, like they were going in the opposite direction.

"…Who is there?" Mateus yelled, standing up instantly. "Bring whoever that is to me immediately!"

Guards raced after whoever was creating that noise, and within a few moments, brought before him lady Airu, being held up against her will just high enough so her feet would not touch the floor. She struggled to get away from them, but she was still weaker than usual, and the only magic she had ever studied was healing and protective. She had no way to escape this.

"…so. I save you from a life of slavery, and you repay me by… eavesdropping."

Airu kept trying to struggle. "Cantirena is not your fiancée… I don't understand why you covet her so much, but it can't be good if that's what the Demon King has been telling you to do!" she shouted at him. Her vision was blurred from all the tears that poured from her eyes. "To think that my own son… is being controlled… by the source of evil in the world! One I had raised to be pure hearted and kind…"

"Are you finished?" Mateus asked her. "You were going to tell the rebels of my plan, Mother. That I cannot forgive. That would keep me from claiming my woman, killing the man who keeps thwarting me, and… preventing me from being able to put you to any use." He shook his head. "Take her to the dungeons. Give the lady twenty lashes, and we'll see where things go from there. I'll be down to check on you in a bit, Mother, but right now… you deserve what's coming to you. She is not allowed to die. I do need her next week for the tournament. If she dies, I'll kill everyone in the dungeons the moment I find out. Now, go."

"Mateus, stop this… you can still do the right thing and set things right!" Airu shouted as the guards started to carry her off. "You can still… if you really want the girl to love you, you're going to have to-"

"Shut up!" a guard snapped at her, slapping her head extremely hard.

Mateus looked away from watching his mother being carried off, but he did not get off of his throne once he sat back down in it. "Palamecia will be the undisputed capital of the entire world, and I will be at its helm. Come home to me, my lovely Cantirena. Come home to me, and we will make children with unbelievable powers and magnificent ability. Those who come from our union will make excellent super soldiers, wouldn't you say?" He laughed at himself. "So I will roll out the red carpet for our reunion and wait for your return. Prosperity will be ours."


	89. Ch 9, part 10

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 10

Minwu led the party to the group of tents nearby, noticing that he had not seen any people since they crossed the hills. The place was desolate. Empty. There was no life nearby, save the wild creatures. Not a sentient being lived anywhere near those tents. It seemed very strange.

"Is it a ghost town?" Candice asked.

"Yeah, but if they were running away, wouldn't they take their tents? Tents are easy to pack," Clarisse answered. She kept looking inside each tent, finding no one inside any of them.

"Not for people who don't have the item pouch," Cantirena said. "You know how big those things are. We wouldn't be able to carry one easily without the pouch…" She was still tired and it felt as if her life was being drained the longer she was away from the Angel's Tunnel. Ever since she had come out of there, she was dizzy. Her head hurt, her body ached, her spirit seemed weaker than usual, and she found it hard to concentrate on much of anything.

Minwu shook his head. He looked up at the sky, noticing the clouds were gathering nearby. It would be raining very soon. "Unless…" he trailed off, "…those who lived here before no longer do."

"I don't see any blood on anything, so I don't think they were killed off in battle," Candice said. "Everything looks pretty clean."

"Looks clean," Minwu said. "But you don't know if, perhaps… this place is…"

Cantirena fell to her knees, finding it hard to stand anymore. "Ugh," she groaned before flopping to the ground face first.

"Hey, sis, you all right?" Clarisse asked, walking over to Cantirena. "…hey?"

"I don't feel good…"

Minwu snapped his fingers. "That's what this is," he said. "This place is… diseased."

"Diseased?" Candice and Clarisse gasped at the same time.

"I believe so," Minwu said, kneeling down next to Cantirena. He put a hand on her forehead, untying the ripped tent cloth and throwing it aside so her hair could bounce about the way it typically did. "My love," he said. "You are very feverish." Calling forth his healing aura, he cast the spell to end all sicknesses, Esuna. The energy landed on Cantirena's body and soaked in through her skin, but she didn't sit back up. In the process of his casting, she fell asleep. When he touched her forehead again, the fever had not gone away. "What?" he asked angrily. "My healing spell did not work."

"Try giving her a kiss?" Candice asked.

"…what?" Minwu had a very unimpressed look on her face.

"Okay, so you're not Prince Charming, but she might see you as one," Candice said quietly. "It was a joke. Geez, Minwu. Grow a sense of humor."

"This isn't the time to laugh!" Minwu snapped. "I don't know what this disease is; and since everyone from this camp looks to be dead, I've not got anyone to consult about this!"

"You're going to drive yourself crazy if you keep thinking like that," Candice muttered, crossing her arms as she slumped down to sit next to Minwu and Cantirena. "Sometimes you have to laugh, or you'll kill yourself being too damn serious. I know you're not really the comedy kind of guy… but it's rare to see you actually enjoy yourself on a social level."

"I'm not going to discuss this with you."

"…is _that_ the reason you've decided to make a lover out of your student?" Candice asked. "Because you don't know how to approach women your own age? You know how taboo your relationship is, right?"

Minwu put his hand over Cantirena's heart. He could tell that it was beating slightly faster, but not so fast that she seemed to be in immediate danger. Clarisse came and sat back down next to the other three, as she didn't find anything when she decided to walk off and explore the tents again.

"Because I do not expect Cantirena to wake immediately, I will share something with you both, but you must both swear to me a vow of absolute secrecy," Minwu said, taking in a deep breath.

"Cross my heart and hope to die," Clarisse said. "I won't tell a soul. Who would I tell?"

"Do you want me to give you a pinkie promise?" Candice asked. "Because I will."

"You don't know the rage behind breaking a pinkie promise," Clarisse said quietly. "You may wish to refrain."

"It's a promise I do not intend to break," Candice said. "This is about Canti, so I feel like it's important we all know, so we can all prepare for it. So we can all work on it together, instead of one person doing all this stuff behind the scenes and leaving everyone in the dark. There's too much room for error that way. So, Minwu, spit it out."

Minwu nodded. "I care about Cantirena more than I have ever cared about any other person in this world. I do love her…"

"…but?"

"But I know Cantirena's feelings. If I didn't give her what she years for, then she will willingly go back to the Emperor, changed or not. Truthfully, I didn't intend this relationship to turn into what it has now. When I found out that she did indeed loved the Prince of Palamecia, I wanted nothing more than to see her with him, happily working for the greater good as she said she believed in. That meeting in Fynn… she didn't want to tell me her thoughts afterward, but I knew. I knew she had fallen in love at first sight with Mateus. It was obvious."

"Tell me about it…" Clarisse said. "She kept going on and on about the prince she met at that meeting. He was handsome, he was smart, he was gentle. Cantirena didn't tell me directly, and over time, she talked about him less, but yes. It's true."

"I wanted her to not just be her aide as I was to Hilda. I wanted Cantirena to marry him, because I wanted her to achieve her dream. She is not royalty, but with my influence in the royal court, she did have a legitimate chance to marry him," Minwu explained. "But she came back from being his prisoner… and even after the evil energy was out of her body… I don't know what all he did to her, but I know something sexual happened between them. I couldn't tell you if she was a willing participant, either. Cantirena confessed to me during a lesson that she had… sexual dreams about me. She couldn't concentrate on it because she couldn't get it out of her head. That's when I realized… if I didn't distract her from yearning for what he gave her... I would lose her forever to him. I gave in, against my better judgment."

"Do you still want Canti to marry the Emperor?" Candice asked.

"If… we find a way to free him from the Demon King's possession and we can turn him back into his old self again," Minwu said quietly, "Then yes. I would have her marry him."

"But, but Minwu!" Clarisse shouted. "You can't just lead her along like that! You… you love Canti more than anyone, and she loves you more than anyone else! You can't just expect her to understand."

"I know this is the case," Minwu said. "But… unless it's to keep her safe from those who would harm her, I will not marry her. Cantirena loves Mateus."

"What gives you that impression?"

"…ever since she broke free of his contact, she's seemed a little sad. She has that look that makes me wonder… if she's only giving me the affection because-"

"I'm not going to listen to this," Candice said angrily. "You're an idiot. For being the best mage in the world, you're dumber than panties made of poison ivy."

Minwu sighed. "I have seen the end of my life…" he whispered. "…I wish to cure the Emperor of his ills and purify his land before this comes. If he is restored to his former self, I will not have to worry about Cantirena being left behind with no one to look after her."

Both Clarisse and Candice looked at Minwu, shocked to hear that. What was he talking about? Minwu was a very magical man with an air of mystery about him, but this seemed to come out of nowhere. Even though Paul saved him from being put to death, Minwu still had the idea of himself dying on his mind.

_Every man is destined to die,_ Minwu thought. _I have seen my end, though I do not know if it comes now or years down the road. Even so, I will make sure that someone will be there to keep a watch over Cantirena even when I am gone. I will give you no heirs, my love. The end of the Magi tribe ends with my death, as it should be. Forgive me. Forgive me for everything._

_**END CHAPTER NINE**_


	90. Ch 10, part 1

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

_**CHAPTER TEN BEGINS**_

Part 1

When Cantirena opened her eyes again, she had absolutely no idea where she was. She didn't know how long she'd been asleep or what had happened while she was sleeping. She had no dreams, either. It was just an empty slumber which gave her no rest. She could feel sweat slipping down her forehead and around her face. It was hotter than she remembered being, too. The room around her was dark. She could tell she wasn't outside, as there was no wind.

"…where?" she started to ask.

"You're awake," Minwu's voice said from right beside her. His voice was tired and relieved. It made Cantirena feel safe hearing his voice regardless. "Thank the Goddess. We feared you were going to sleep the eternal, and I could not bear that."

"Minwu?" Cantirena said, looking around. She wondered why she could hear his voice, but not feel his warmth at all. His voice was right next to her ear. "Where are you?"

"I'm right next to you, though… I'm not able to move," Minwu answered. "Something happened while you were asleep. I suppose before _he_ comes again to check on your condition, I will have to fill you in." He sighed. "You see, we tried to figure out exactly where the people who lived in that ghost village happened to be. We ended up staying there an entire two weeks before the three of us had a massive argument."

"Where are my sisters?"

"I'm getting to that, love. Hold on," Minwu continued. "I went off on my own for a moment to compose myself. Out of ideas as to what to do, I prayed to the Goddess for aid. She answered and appeared before me as she had appeared before us before the Angel's Tunnel. She created a beam of light and told us to step through it, as it would take us where we needed to go. I carried you through, feeling in my heart that the place we needed to go was Altair's ruins or Fynn, but… no. That's not where we landed. Your sisters, I don't know if they decided to walk through the light. I followed in faith as I always have, and I'm starting to wonder if the Goddess was conspiring against me."

"What do you mean?" Cantirena asked. That didn't sound pleasant at all.

A door creaked open from nearby, and a man carrying a torch walked in. He stood right next to Cantirena, bringing a whole new light to the room. He looked to be just a normal guard, but she knew that armor. She had seen it before. The armor was black and had purple markings on the chest plate and the gauntlets. Suddenly, her head hurt a little, and the memory flashed through her mind instantly.

"Oh," she gasped. "It's a Dark Knight…"

"My lady, you've returned _home_."

Cantirena tried to sit up to defend herself immediately, but she found her body very hard to move. She had a hard time keeping her eyes focused, but she didn't need much to know that figure which stood right over her. "…it's… you…" she whispered somewhat angrily.

"Hm. I have _missed_ you," the Emperor said quietly. "Imagine my surprise when the guards told me of discovering a couple who came through some sort of magic light to a place within the castle which was off limits to anyone but the royal family. There was Minwu, clinging desperately to you. He had a barrier up around the two of you, but when he saw me approaching… his resolve weakened. He begged me to save your life as his magic was useless in curing the Typhares Fever. Of course it would be the Typhares Fever, great mage. Those who lived on that continent were Mysidian before they crossed, and their magic could do nothing to stop the Typhares Fever. The only survivors of that camp were ones who left before the spores could touch them… it's not surprising that you were immune to it, Minwu. Considering you are the last of the Magi." He bent down to get a better look into Cantirena's eyes. "My healers knew the sickness right away. You've been sleeping here in my castle for two days. We thought perhaps it was too late to save you, but… you have a strong will to live."

"Strong will?" Cantirena asked mockingly. "Not to live. To stop you… Demon King."

"Demon King?" Mateus asked. "I am no king, my lady. I am the _Emperor_."

"Should I call you the 'Demon Emperor', then?" she retorted sharply.

"My servants saved your life, my lady. They can easily take it away. Just as I have healers, I have punishers…" Mateus said, putting a hand on her face. "Though I'm sure your life means less than others do to you." He smiled just a little. "I would refrain from insulting me, lest you wish your caretaker to hang at the gallows."

"You cannot have him," Cantirena said sternly. "Minwu is mine. I refuse to let you take his life."

"Your will has become very defiant, I see. You are not the meek little student I once found in Fynn. Impudence will get you nowhere within my lands. I am the Emperor, my lady. If you cannot live in my lands on my terms, you will not live at all. The only thing which keeps you both alive is my generosity," Mateus continued. He ran his hand along the side of Cantirena's face. "Tell me, do you remember this?"

"…touch me no more. I am not your poppet," she said, trying not to shudder. "Please, remove your hand." She not only remembered that feeling. She liked it. There was a different flavor to the way Mateus approached her and the way Minwu carried about his lovemaking. "I can't let you do this to me. Not when I've all ready promised myself, I…"

"You were my lady before you were his," Mateus said quietly. "I won't subject you to that darkness again. I know how much it scared you and what it did to you. I promise that I won't let it-"

"Stop teasing her," Minwu said. "If you want to kill us, then by the Goddess let it be done all ready! It'll only give the Wild Rose Rebellion even more fuel for their fires!"

"...you believe I want you dead?" Mateus asked. "No, no, no, my good man, I do not wish to see you dead. I wish to see you grovel before me and accept me as your one true ruler. See me as the heavenly being that I am. I have never wished for any people in this world to die, but when they put up a resistance, they have earned a one way ticket to the farthest reaches of hell."

"You're mad!" Minwu shouted. "Kill me if you wish, but do not bring harm to Cantirena. That is all I ask of you."

"Very well," Mateus said. "Bring the lady to my quarters once she's been fed and bathed. Take the mage to the dungeon. He will hang at first light."

"No!" Cantirena shouted. Her eyes filled with tears instantly. "No, please… please spare Minwu…"

"Hm?" Mateus mused. "I believe I thought I heard you say that you will not let me take Minwu."

"I… I was wrong…" Cantirena said. "…I beg of you to spare Minwu's life. Have mercy for… for my sake. I'll do anything you ask, Your…"

"Yes?" he asked. Was it coming? Would he hear it once again? Those words of complete submissiveness that he longed to hear all this time?

Minwu looked over at her. "Cantirena, what are you-?"

"…I will do anything you ask, Your Grace. Have mercy on Minwu. Please, Your Grace. I am at your disposal."

Mateus nodded. "And so it shall be done, my lady." He smiled gently. She was his once again.

Minwu shook his head. He figured that she was doing it out of preservation, but he also knew what it entailed. He knew where this was going, and he didn't like it at all. Minwu felt his own life was moot in the exchange. He would die if the rebellion kept on going strong. He watched Mateus kiss her forehead, and then the Emperor had the gall to look at Minwu afterward.

_Squirm, you loathsome worm,_ Mateus thought. _Watch as your student falls into the darkness again… and there will be nothing you can do about it, even being here._

"Be glad the condition of my lady's heart means more than anything else in the world to me," Mateus said, staring straight into Minwu's eyes. "Or I really would hang you. But I have made her a promise, and I shall keep it. You will live. I will make you her personal attendant, so she will not have to worry about you. Serve her and keep her well, and you will live well in turn."

"…I humbly accept," Minwu said quietly.

"Wonderful," Mateus said. "We'll bathe you and feed you both. From this point forward, Minwu, unless I direct otherwise, you may not leave her side. Keep watch over her… in fact, you may even want to continue your lessons. She is your student, after all. My lady has learned so much from you over the years that I can't think of a more perfect tutor for her to learn courtly manners."

_Watch her become mine of her own free will._

"Your Grace," Cantirena whispered.

"My lady?" Mateus asked.

"Where… where are my sisters?"

"There were no others who came with the two of you," Mateus answered. "So if they traveled in the same way that you two did, they did not land in my domain."

_That's a good thing_, Cantirena thought. _It would not do to have them here in this situation…_

"Fair enough. Would you keep an eye out for them?" Cantirena asked. "Do not hurt them, please, Your Grace. They have the same color hair I do, and the same eyes, too."

"Mmm," Mateus nodded. "I will do that. The two of you should be very happy, however. The war will be put on hold, you see. The Queen Regent's birthday is quickly approaching, and we will be having a holiday in celebration!"

_Lady Airu…?!_ Minwu thought. _But Paul said…_

"My mother has been looking forward to meeting you, Cantirena."

"I am honored, Your Grace."

"Release them both," Mateus said, and the guard flipped a switch next to the surface they were both laying on. Cantirena slowly sat up and when Minwu was up enough, she put her arms around him tightly. "I know, you both need a moment to compose yourselves. Take it. The door is unlocked. When you're both ready to have a bath, there will be attendants waiting for you." He turned around. "And Minwu? You may satisfy her needs. I'm sure she'll feel more relaxed with you than with anyone else, especially after all you've been through together. Go ahead. Just remember that you hold _my_ bride."

"Minwu is fully aware of the situation," Cantirena said. "…as am I."

Mateus smiled. "It warms my heart to hear you say that." He then turned away and walked out, giving a hand gesture to the guards for them to follow him out of the room. The door closed when everyone else was out, and in that moment, Minwu grasped around Cantirena as tightly as he could.

"Forgive me," he whispered. "I had no idea that we would be coming here. Cosmos told me that we would be sent where we need to be, not into the dragon's claws!"

"…perhaps we need to be _here_," she replied. "Lady Airu knows the Palamecian history, right? There's going to be a celebration for her, so we know she's still alive. Oh, Minwu…"

"I hope for the sake of all things sacred that your sisters are in Altair," Minwu said.

"Oh, I do, too."

"…Cantirena, my love, if he approaches you affectionately…"

"I don't want his affections."

"Let him have his way," Minwu said, "Because if you don't give them willingly, he will take them by force. He's not above that. You gave into his demands because you want to survive this mess. Consequently, I must ensure that you survive this mess, so I also went along with it. I couldn't take it if he were to hurt you. When all of this is over-"

"-I want to be traveling the world with you, atoning for what we've done wrong, like we promised," she whispered. "Minwu, I love you. I want you. I couldn't stand the thought of you dying, after all this world has done to us both, we have a right to keep moving forward."

"…you are right. I do not wish to die, not until I know for sure that you are taken care of."

"No! You should not wish to die at all."

"All right, then, my love, I refuse to die."

"We are going to be married under the full moonlight in Fynn, once this is all over, Minwu," Cantirena cried. "I wish to bear your successors that will carry on your noble blood and gentle spirit. No matter what the Emperor makes me do for him, no matter if he forces me to become his bride in the eyes of the court of Palamecia, I will always remain yours in my heart."

They shared a kiss, and they both cried on each other's shoulders.

_I… I wish I __**could**__ give you this, but I'm afraid it may not end this way._ Minwu thought. _I must find Lady Airu! The quicker I can create a crystal, the quicker I can set things right!_


	91. Ch 10, part 2

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 2

Clarisse's eyes opened very slowly. She was under a blanket, and could feel the wind passing over her. She tried to look around, but at first, her eyes were out of focus.

"Hey," a voice said to her side. It was one she recognized and had not heard in far too long. "You've slept for days. Whatever happened must have really taken it out of you."

Clarisse sat up. "Canti?!"

"No. You just appeared here with Candice. There's no sign of Canti or Minwu anywhere. Paul, Cid, and Ricard are out surveying the area right now to see if they might be around here, but… I don't think they are," the voice said somewhat sadly.

As Clarisse's eyes came into focus, she could see Firion there smiling at her. "Oh, Firi," she cried. "You can't imagine what we've been through…" She reached for him, and he pulled her closer. "Mysidia was a terrifying place, and…"

"It's all right," Firion said gently. "Paul told us a lot of what happened." He put his hand on her hair, ruffling it a little. "Don't worry. I'm not going on any assignment that would keep me away from you anymore. I felt terrible after hearing the nightmares Paul spoke of. I should have gone with you, or you should have gone to Deist with me or something." He squeezed her for a moment. Oh how Firion missed Clarisse. "I don't want to be apart from you."

"Did you fare any better in Deist than we did in Mysidia?"

"No. Deist was wiped out, save one man, Ricard, who is now a part of our rebellion."

"Well. _Fuck_."

Firion nodded. "It looks like we're doomed no matter what we try," he said quietly. "It's hard to find the morale to keep going when all of your efforts fall apart right in front of you."

"We… we're helpless," Clarisse cried. "We have no options left."

"Yes, we do," another voice said from a little distance away. They both turned to look and found Gordon there with a very determined look on his face. "We have only one option left to us, and that is to fight. We have to keep trying until we are no more."

"Look at us, Gordon," Clarisse said. "Everything we try fails."

"So we keep trying until we find out what works," Gordon said sternly. "That's what we have left. We have unlimited chances. We just have to use them."

"…you've changed, Prince."

"As have you, Clarisse." Gordon looked away. "But I'm not giving up or giving in. This war took my home, my brother, and the woman we both loved. I have so little left to lose that I really don't care if I die in the process." He shrugged as he sat down next to them.

"Did you have a plan?" Firion asked. "When the others return, we will need to start doing something."

"Aye," Gordon agreed. "I wanted to wait for Minwu's return, but we have been here in these ruins for so long without making a move that I'm going stir crazy like the rest of you, Firion. We will go to Galtea, find the rest of the White Knights, and storm Castle Fynn to take it back. Once we have our home back we can gather our supplies and make our next move. We can gather support from Salamand and other surrounding cities, anything we find that we can use and bring it to Fynn… and we'll take the fight to Palamecia."

"Agreed," Clarisse said angrily. "If we should be fighting anywhere, it should be at the epicenter of this whole thing."

"That's what I was thinking. No more waiting for them to come to us. We strike in the one place where the damage actually matters," Gordon said with a nod.

_Knowing how fate likes to play, I wouldn't be surprised if Minwu and Canti are actually in Palamecia right now. It's a fucked up thought, but… I always tend to expect the worst of life,_ Clarisse thought. _When life pulls strings like this, it's hard not to come up with things like this._

Firion frowned a bit. "You've got that look in your eye again."

"I'm thinking about Canti, yep," Clarisse said. "My brain can't get out of this idea that both Minwu and Canti are actually in Palamecia at the moment. It's like… I can sense my sisters. I can tell where they both are." She closed her eyes. "Candice is close by. Canti is… far to the south, across the sea, in a land of heat."

"Yep, that's Palamecia," Paul's voice said from above them. He was standing on a tree until he hopped down, landing softly on his feet. "Land of heat is right. Even at night that place is sweltering! Mysidia is humid, Palamecia is like… living in a furnace."

"Explains why the Emperor doesn't like to wear a lot of clothes," Clarisse grunted. "I just wanna smack him sometimes and say 'hey, dude, _pants_!' because, holy shit, purple tights and a belt with a skull over it isn't enough coverage for some people."

They all shared a healthy, hearty laugh.

"You're terrible, Claire," Candice said as she came by. She stood between everybody and struck a dramatic pose when she had their attention. "No, what you should punish him for are those golden glittering bullhorns. Who the _fuck_ thought that was a good idea for a crown? Can't he wear a tiara with gemstones in it like the rest of royalty?"

Paul fell over he laughed so hard.

"You two could be comedians!" Gordon said though his giggles. "What do you say? Be my court jesters?"

"Oh no," Candice said, putting her hands on her hips. "The act isn't complete."

"Yeah, we're still missing one," Clarisse said. "And even though she's the least funny of us three, she's needed for us to be at our best potential."

"Yep. So we can't be your jesters. But we can be members of your resistance, of course."

"Of course," Gordon said. "You're both fully capable. Now, we'll start planning to take Fynn when Cid, Ricard, and Leila get back."


	92. Ch 10, part 3

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 3

Minwu did as he was bid. After he was dressed in the clean servant robes provided, he did not leave Cantirena's side. It was obvious to him that even after all this time, she knew where she was going. He followed her though the elaborately decorated halls. For anyone seeing this castle's interior the first time, it was always a dizzying experience. He couldn't believe how much gold there was everywhere, even lining against parts of the wall and the furniture. Everything shimmered like it was to be some sort of heavenly palace, though those Minwu crossed paths with thought very differently about it. The servants who were bound to court members all looked down at the marble floors. None of them cared about the extravagant building they lived in. Many of them wore chains or leashes, and only moved when they were drug in the direction their masters wished them to go. Minwu wore no chains, but he knew that if he got the idea of exploring, that was going to be the first idea on anyone's mind.

Cantirena said nothing to him as they walked, but every now and then she stopped to make sure he was still there with her. She was deathly afraid of someone else claiming him as their servant, and then she would never see him again. She had no way of keeping him safe if someone else took him from her. She needed his companionship now more than ever.

"My Empress has come home," Mateus said from his throne, causing everyone else in the palace to turn and look directly at him. Cantirena kept walking towards him, Minwu following close behind. "A glorious day for all of Palamecia," he announced. "Bring a feast, my love is hungry."

"Many pardons, Your Grace," Cantirena said, looking up at him from the center of the audience hall.

Everyone in the court turned to look at her instantly. There were murmurs, very similar to when she stood before the Circle of Mages. She hated that feeling of being stared at. She wanted to get out of there as quickly as possible.

"I'm not going to eat," she said, shaking a bit from her nervousness. "I wish to retire instead."

"Then do so," Mateus said, giving her a nod of agreement. "Minwu, please, escort my lady to our quarters. I have business to finish."

"Minwu?" voices from the court echoed in question. "What's a rebel doing here?"

"Quiet!" the Emperor roared loudly, standing up. Everyone in the room except for Cantirena and Minwu were bowing before him instantly. "That man belonged to the rebellion, but Altair is nothing but dust, and Fynn the second capital of the Palamecian Empire. It only makes sense that, after serving a princess for so long, he comes into the service of this court, serving another royal lady as an attendant and an advisor."

"I'll buy him from you, Empress," a voice said behind her. "I'll buy the great royal mage of Fynn from you, at any asking price."

"Anything that twat will give you, I will double that!" another voice said from across the room.

"He'll make a wonderful addition to our brothel, he's so beautiful! He'll make me richer than I all ready am!"

"Hold your tongues!" Cantirena shouted angrily. The room fell silent. How dare they even suggest such things? She loved Minwu with all of her heart. There was no way she would ever, _ever_ think of _selling_ him like a slave!

Minwu was surprised to hear such a tone from his closest companion. _What they said really got under her skin,_ he thought.

"I do not value your gold, your stock, or your businesses. There is nothing you could give me that has as much value as Minwu does to me. Minwu is _mine_. You try even touching him and I'll have your hands chopped off!" Cantirena turned to look at Minwu, taking his hand. She felt her eyes burn with tears. She was afraid that maybe Mateus would accept a terrible idea like that, considering he hated Minwu quite a bit. Minwu hugged her, offering silent comfort.

_Let me protect you for once_, she thought, _because right now, I have far more power than you do._

Mateus clapped enthusiastically. "Brilliant," he said. "You carry the tone which belongs to the Empress of the mightiest power in the world." He stopped for a moment, and his tone turned cold. "Sir, you who owns the brothel, will you step forward?"

One of the men clothed in colorful robes came out of the crowd, dragging chains with beautiful girls behind him. "I am he," the man said. "Would any of my girls tickle your fancy, Your Imperial Majesty?" He had a voice that reminded both Minwu and Cantirena of Borghen. He was a sniveling man who would fight for the scraps of at a royal man's feet, no matter the price or the self-humiliation.

"You have brought tears to my Empress' eyes," Mateus said.

"Forgive me," the man said, bowing so low that he drug three of the girls on his chains down with him. "I did not mean to-"

"There is only on suitable punishment for one who brings tears to the eyes of my Empress," Mateus said again, resting his head on his fist. "Remove his eyes."

"What? But, but, forgive me, sire, I did not mean any offense!" the brothel owner cried as two guards grabbed his arms.

"Wait!" Cantirena said, stopping the court once again. "The man needs his eyes if he is to be of any use to you or your kingdom, Your Grace." She looked away from Minwu, still holding on to him. "I believe that there is a more suitable punishment for him."

"You are the one he offended," Mateus said gently. "If you wish to give him his punishment, then please do so."

Minwu frowned. What was she going to do now? This court was nothing like the court of Fynn. It was more ruthless and violent. In Fynn, slavery was illegal on top of everything else.

Cantirena let go of Minwu, but as she walked, she turned to him and motioned for him to follow her. She went up to the brothel owner. "Making me cry isn't exactly a capital crime," she said. "I am as human as the rest of all of you, and that means I have emotions just the same. However… bragging about your becoming rich because of you selling the bodies of those you own? That is detestable." She looked up to Mateus for a moment. "Even with his eyes removed, Your Grace, he will still continue making money by selling the girls on his chains." Cantirena crossed her arms. "This will not do. Filthy pig, your brothel will be destroyed. As for your slaves?" She snatched the chains from his hands and threw them on the floor. "Your slaves belong to the Empire of Palameca."

"But… but what will I do if I no longer have my brothel?!" the merchant whined.

"I couldn't care less what you do," Cantirena said. "But I have spared you pain and blindness for the rest of your life. You should be thankful that I'm not heartless."

_I must commend you for your tact, _Minwu thought. _Selling the bodies of others regardless of the circumstance is indeed wrong on moral levels, and on legal levels where we are from… I believe I would have made the same choice._

"Empress," the merchant said angrily. "I would rather be blind for the rest of my life than without my brothel! I have collected these girls from the slave labor camps, and without me, that's exactly where they will go! You have condemned them back to their terrible fates that I spared them from! I gave all of my girls a better life! How could you even…!" He struggled to get his arms free from the guards, but he was weak. Cantirena guessed that this merchant was weaker than Borghen was.

"He is raising his voice to the Empress," Mateus said, annoyed. He waved his free hand dismissively. "Remove his tongue _and_ his eyes for being an ungrateful wretch."

Cantirena growled. "I spared you bodily harm!" she shouted. "I _saved_ you from-"

Minwu noticed the guards were coming around the merchant and he slowly pulled Cantirena away from the scene. He put his hand over her eyes so she wouldn't have to see the bloody mess of two daggers removing the merchant's eyes and severing of his tongue.

"Day one among my court, and you've made your presence known to all," Mateus said proudly. He climbed down from his throne, and all of the people below bowed as he walked in front of them. "My lovely Empress, you are a merciful woman. I know that your home country did not have many of the customs we do here in Palamecia, but we do not mind that." He then gave a stern glare to Minwu. "You've done well, Minwu. Please, before she must see any more horror, take her to rest. This is not the place for someone so gentle."

Minwu shook his head. "I do not believe this is the place for anyone with a heart," he said quietly. "But, yes. I will have my lady retire before things get any worse."

Mateus reached over and removed Minwu's hands from Cantirena's face. "It will hurt less as time passes. This is a cutthroat place. It is common for people to die on a daily basis in this court. It is fitting for those who deal in broken love and forsaken justice, is it not?" He reached under her chin, forcing her to look up at him. He could tell her resolve was growing a little weaker, just by being around court members and their dark, selfish natures. "You cannot save everyone, especially those who do not wish to be saved. That man would rather keep at his evil to keep his wealth than to keep parts of his body. Fear not, now he will never spy another pretty girl or convince any man to consort with them… that is, if he lives through the amount of blood he has lost."

She felt a single tear slide down her cheek. Cantirena once wanted to come to this land to lead it down a path of prosperity. Seeing this unfold before her eyes was nothing short of a nightmare.

"I know," he said. "This land is corrupt, more corrupt than any place in this world…"

_And whose fault do you think that is?!_ Minwu thought. _Who do you think allows slavers to exist in the first place? And to allow the selling of another's body? __**You**__ are the problem with Palamecia, Demon King Iluia! You're the one who has allowed all these atrocities to fill the place that was once known as the Holy Land._

"I beg your leave, Your Grace," Cantirena said softly. "I can bear no more of this travesty today."

"Yes," Mateus agreed. He bent down to kiss her forehead, right where the jewel of ascension used to be. "Go, rest. I will come to see you later."

Minwu led her away. The maids down the hall told him where to take her. Minwu assumed it would be the royal bedchamber, and if he was right, he would be able to find that Stone of Iluia that Cantirena spoke of sleeping under the last time she was here. That was his plan, anyway. Let her rest and then investigate as much as he could before he was caught.

"Minwu," she said, pulling him from his thoughts. "I was scared in there."

"You sounded quite forceful," Minwu said.

"I… I was not going to let them take you from me…" Cantirena said. "I would have put them to death if they tried." She sniffled a few times. "What's come over me, Minwu?! I was willing to kill them if it meant keeping you all to myself! I have to keep you safe…"

"Do not fret over me, my lady," Minwu answered. "Even if I were bought and sold, my heart still belongs to that of Fynn. I would still do all I could to help the Wild Rose Rebellion, no matter where I am or who I'm bound to."

"…I don't want you to serve the rebellion," she said, tightly clinging on his arm. "I want you to serve me!"


	93. Ch 10, part 4

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 4

Mateus wasn't very far behind Minwu and Cantirena. He followed at a distance that allowed him to hear their conversation, but one where neither of them would detect his presence. As he expected, Minwu's heart was loyal to that of Fynn despite where he was, though Cantirena's outburst caught him by surprise. He could see the maids directing Minwu down the correct path, until they came to the door that led into his own private chamber.

"This is the place," Minwu said. "My lov… my lady, what's wrong?"

"…this is it," she said, trembling. "This is where… _it_ was." She shook her head, clinging to Minwu's arm. "This is where it all happened the last time I was here."

Minwu placed a hand on her head. "The Dark Stone," he muttered. "I realize that it's frightening for you, but know that I will not let the energies of darkness claim you again. I swear it."

_I would rather not subject her to that, either, _Mateus thought. _I don't want her to belong to the Demon King. I want her for myself. That lovely potential… go inside, there's nothing in that room that will harm either of you._

"You don't know how dark those energies are," Cantirena cried quietly.

"You do not trust me?" Minwu asked.

"I trust you more than anyone, Minwu," she said, "But you've no experience with anything this dark."

Minwu felt a burst of some sort of wind come from inside the chamber, nearly knocking him off his feet. Cantirena held to him. It was as arid as any other place in this castle, though it felt much different than any place he'd been thus far. He took a few steps in, using his hands to call up a barrier around the two of them. "Nothing's going to hurt you," he said. "Not while I'm around."

Cantirena let go of his arm, looking about the place. Everything looked the same, except for the headboard above the bed. "Wait," she said, pointing at the bed. "Right there. That's where the stone was before. But it's not there now. The swirling darkness is gone."

"Of course it wouldn't be," Minwu said. "He knew we were coming. The Emperor would know to move it." He grunted. A part of him was looking forward to finally feeling where all this evil was coming from, and this was slightly disappointing. He needed to know the intensity of that darkness, to know what exactly he was trying to stop. "He knows I'm not going to sit idly by and watch you fall under its influence again."

Cantirena walked through his barrier, looking around the room. Everything else looked exactly the same. The bed, the table, the chairs nearby, everything was the way she remembered it being. She looked at the bed, knowing what happened there before. She didn't want to sit on it. "I never thought I'd be back here," she said. "This was only a backdrop for my nightmares, and here I am. Back here in this Goddess-forsaken hell hole."

"The Goddess said we needed to be here," Minwu thought aloud, taking a few steps to come to her side. "We must not waste this opportunity. The Emperor did say he would be coming to check on you soon. You should stay here."

"…and you're going to explore the castle? Without me there to protect you?" she asked. "That's dangerous."

"They all know who I belong to, remember?" he asked, pushing her gently so she would sit on the bed. "They wouldn't dare cross the Palamecian Empress."

"No…" Cantirena said. "That's not what I'm afraid of." She grabbed his hand, placing them both on the sides of her face. "Mateus himself told you to stay with me. You don't know when he's coming, you don't know where he'll be… Every set of eyes in this place belong to him and because of that, you don't have any bargaining power." She rubbed her cheeks against his hands. They were comforting. "He finds you alone, he could very well kill you and not tell me about it."

"I wouldn't dare do that," Mateus said from the door, walking into the chamber. He closed the door, locking it behind him. "Take away Minwu from you? I love you. I wouldn't dare see you fall into a depression over losing your beloved like that."

Minwu pulled away from Cantirena. "What are you planning to do with us?" he asked.

"I'm going to torture you, and then I'm going to fuck her," the Emperor answered simply. "Are we all clear on everything now? Oh, yeah, and by the end of the night, I'll fuck you, too." He walked in until he was standing at the foot of the bed, smiling. "You both belong to me now. I'll let you have each other, because it would be dreadful seeing the two of you apart from one another, but since you're both my property, I expect some use out of you. By the time the sun rises, you'll both be calling me Master."

Minwu rose his arm immediately, charging up a spell. "Angel's wrath! **HOLY**!"

The ball of white light from Minwu's hand was deflected so easily that he was shocked.

"Such a feeble spell," Mateus said quietly. "I've changed my mind. I'm going to fuck you first, Minwu."

"Not if I can help it," Minwu shouted, charging up another spell. "I'm tired of playing along…"

"Throw whatever you like at me," Mateus said. "I took the time to put Reflect Armor on before even going before the court earlier, because I know how gifted the both of you are with magic. You cannot defend yourselves against me. So be good little toys and submit to your master."

Cantirena grabbed onto Minwu's robe and pulled him down onto her lap, grasping around his waist. She closed her eyes and put her forehead against his shoulder, chanting. Minwu recognized the chant easily. He could feel her fear as it manifested into a bright blue barrier around them.

"It's the same barrier…!" Minwu said, amazed. "The one from… when I first found you…"

_This is no ordinary barrier,_ he thought. _This is no Shell spell, like I originally thought it was, either._

Mateus reached for it, but the bright blue light kept him from going any closer. It let out a loud zapping like sound when he put his finger on the barrier. "There is only one barrier like this in all of magic," he said, his voice having become much more demonic than it was just a few moments ago. "…and there's only been one other who has been able to cast this particular barrier. I never thought I'd ever see someone with the ability to cast Mighty Guard ever again."

"Mighty Guard," Minwu repeated it. "The legendary shield. I was under the impression that the spell was lost in time."

"It only proves your lineage is true," Mateus grunted. "Because the Goddess Cosmos herself used that spell to protect her beloved people from me before I was sealed into that cursed stone by Palamecia the First!"

"Iluia," Minwu said. "You-"

"I have you… I have you _both_ right where I want you!" the Emperor shouted, charging up his own magic power. "You will not stop the one true Emperor. I've waited and worked in the shadows of this place for far too long to let some little girl and her teacher stop me with some weak little shield spell."

"That may be true," Minwu said. "We may not be able to do anything about you ourselves, but you will not be eternal." He let his hands rest on top of Cantirena's. "It is every man's destiny to die. That body you possess will die."

"Yes," Mateus laughed, though it was clear that Mateus was not the one speaking. He was a cruel man, to be sure, but he did not go to the lengths or the darkness that the demon that possessed him went to. "And to ensure my reign, I need heirs. Perfect that the heirs contain both the powers of the child of a Goddess and that of my own, yes? Think of the super powerful children we would create, Cantirena! With Minwu as their teacher and us as their parents? Palamecia would be unstoppable."

"Minwu…" Cantirena said weakly. "…now do you understand?"

"I do," Minwu whispered. "Forgive me for having allowed you to fall into the hands of this… monster."

As Mateus started to gather energy around him to call forth a ball to shatter Cantirena's barrier, his eyes twitched a few times. The energy slowly fell from his hands. "What… happened?" he asked. "Cantirena…? Minwu?"

"The Demon King," Minwu said. "He took possession of you suddenly. He had intentions of raping us both. I don't know if you do or not, but we won't let you do it, either."

"That…" Mateus spat, falling over onto one knee. "…that demon has done it for the last time! Minwu, if I let you speak to my mother, would you be able to come up with a way to get this bastard out of my head?"

"We would," Minwu said with a nod.

"Then so be it!" Mateus said. "I will have no more of this. I am the absolute ruler of everything, not _him_."

"Let the barrier down," Minwu said to Cantirena. "I will find Lady Airu and we will put this whole mess behind us."

"Let Cantirena stay here," Mateus ordered. "Erecting Mighty Guard is not an easy thing to do. Maybe she can help me keep him at bay, and if he shows himself again, she can use the barrier again to keep herself safe from me…" He looked up at Cantirena, who was letting the barrier go slowly. When it was gone, she slumped back onto the pillows on the bed. "Minwu, you have my express permission to retrieve my mother and begin research immediately. When you have what you need, I will take you to where I have hidden the Stone of Iluia."

"I do not trust you alone with Cantirena," Minwu said. "I wish her to be close to my side just in case Iluia decides he wants to make his presence known again."

"Get my mother," Mateus said sternly. "Your student sleeps."

"…then you will get her, and I will remain at Cantirena's side," Minwu demanded. "You are the one seeking my help, oh great Emperor. You had best not cross me further, as I have no further wishes than to seal you away permanently!" He then turned to Cantirena. "The only reason I will not do that is because my student loves you, or rather, she loved who you used to be."

"…what do you mean?"

"When you were just a prince, you came to Fynn in the place of your father, the late Emperor," Minwu explained. "She wanted to come here and be your aide, as I was to Hilda. Cantirena wanted to serve you more than anything… and the Demon King decided to use that adoration for something more sinister." He stood up. "I will free you of his possession, but you… you must watch over Cantirena. You must take care of her. Her fate is to remain with you, Mateus. I will do all that I can to ensure that fate takes its due course. You two will heal Palamecia, as Clarisse and Firion will heal Fynn."

Mateus stood up. "I… don't understand how you know these things."

"I have seen them," Minwu answered. "I have seen all that is and all that will be."

"Where?"

"I cannot tell you," Minwu said. "Because even I do not know where I saw these things."


	94. Ch 10, part 5

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 5

As the sun rose over the few tents scattered in the center of Altair's ruins, Candice was all ready awake. She wasn't able to sleep. The fact that every day, they went to check the surrounding areas to look for Minwu and Cantirena and always coming back with nothing was driving her nuts. She knew they were both alive, and she knew that they were fully capable of taking care of themselves, but she liked having them around. They were an admirable couple, and even though Cantirena showed moments of weakness, Minwu never hesitated to take care of her. She wanted nothing more than to have a relationship similar to the one they had. Their love seemed so innocent, and yet so true to itself. Minwu cared for Cantirena more than anything in the world. It was hard to tell anybody, but she was sort of jealous of it. She was sitting right next to the flap that led into her father's tent when she heard footsteps nearby.

"Prince Gordon wanted us to head to Galtea today to look for those ready to take back Fynn," a very low, soothing voice said behind her. "You being without rest will make it that much harder for you to participate."

She turned to find the dragoon Ricard there. He was carrying his helmet which was normally atop his head, blocking anyone from seeing his true face. It had been a long time since their eyes met, and when they did, both Ricard and Candice could hear that day which changed both of their lives forever.

"Ricard," she said quietly. "I couldn't believe it was you when Dad introduced you to me yesterday. Took me for a loop."

"Aye, I can believe that, as I was overwhelmed with nostalgia myself," Ricard answered. "You should rest. In a few hours-"

"I couldn't sleep right now even if I tried," Candice muttered, letting herself slump over, laying on the cobblestone pathway in a very weird sort of way. "So lost in my thoughts that my mind will not let my body rest."

"You miss your sister," Ricard said gently, sitting next to her.

"Yeah. Even though I wasn't aware of her being my sister until fairly recently, when the three of us are together, something about it just… feels right," Candice said. "And knowing that they're in trouble, it's hard for me not to want to rush into battle to stick up for them, especially Canti. She's the smallest of us. I can tell her confidence has grown since Minwu started to give her support in the ways she needed him to, but I know that she doesn't have a lot of faith in herself. It would be a great relief if I could just find her all ready." She sighed.

"I… wanted to ask you something."

"…you can ask me anything you like, Ricard."

"The pendant I gave you when we were children-"

"You need it back?" Candice asked, reaching behind her neck and undoing the knot that held the twine in place. "Here, I know you need the Dragon's Pendant to communicate with a dragon, so go ahead. Take it. It's not like I…" she looked at the shimmering blue charm which she'd worn every day since he had given it to her. Candice felt somewhat naked without it. "…it's not like it's ever really been mine anyway."

"That's not it at all." Ricard said. "No. I searched all of Deist for another pendant, but there were no others to be found, and we are going to need that if we want to communicate with the last dragon. I am the last Dragoon. When I go to take the Dragoon's trials, I wish for your company."

"Wouldn't it be easier if you just take the pendant with you to complete the trial?" she asked.

"Easier, yes," Ricard replied. "But it would be a lot emptier." He smiled at her. "I will fight for the Wild Rose Rebellion, as they saved me and the only other two survivors of my home country. But when the fighting is over, I wish to rebuild my home. I cannot complete the trials without a way to undergo the ceremony as intended and I… I…" He looked away. How was he going to put this? "…I humbly request that you be my partner for the Dragoon's trial ceremony. It may seem a bit selfish of me, but… I… I would love to have you alongside me, helping me build Deist to its former glory."

"Ricard…"

"Please help me do this."

"…all right," Candice said. "You have my word. When everything is said and done, I'll go to Deist. I'll help bring it back to its lovely past self. I'll do whatever I can. I liked Deist a lot more than Paloom or Poft, that's for sure. Yeah, the culture was very eccentric, but I found it much more peaceful than the pirate-filled port slums I was used to. I could have lived there, no problem."

"Thank you."

"Hey, you saved my life once," she said. "Least I can do is help you rebuild yours now."

Ricard laughed softly. "I suppose if you wish to think of it that way…"

Soon, Gordon came out of his tent with his hair frazzled and his eyes half opened. He pointed directly at Candice. "Hey. It's time to get the troops in order. Go wake Clarisse and Firion. I need them both," he said sternly, finding it hard to focus his sight in the morning sunlight.

"I'm on it, Prince," Candice said, standing up. She headed over to their tent, pulling the flap open. "Good morning, sunshi-"

All she found was Firion sprawled out on top of a blanket and Clarisse on top of him, both as naked as the day they were born, breathing incredibly heavy, as if they had just both passed out after having a full night of passionate lovemaking.

Candice giggled quietly to herself. So she wasn't the only one who didn't get any sleep. She didn't want to bother either of them even if it was Gordon's order to wake them.

_For having gone at it a while, they were quiet about it…_ Candice thought, turning to walk out of the tent. _Either that, or someone's invented a soundproof tent. Wait… Minwu, did you leave a soundproof tent in the item pouch for that specific reason?_ She closed the flap behind her, feeling a little bit jealous. When was the last time she had the chance to lay in such peace in the arms of someone who loved her? Hell, when was the last time she had the chance to find someone who actually cared about her as a person in that sense, rather than just as a casual way to relieve themselves? Cantirena found peace in an unlikely source, and now Clarisse had the same thing. _Well Cosmos, what happened here…?_

Clarisse lifted her head for just a split second. "…you think she was fooled?" she asked Firion in a hushed whisper.

"…probably," he answered quietly.

"I know we've got to do our duty for the rebellion, but right now, I don't want to move."

"Oh, you _want_ to move…"

"Fine, I don't want to get dressed and march to Galtea to look for troops who want to help us take back our home. I'm content right now." Clarisse whispered. "More than I have been in a very, very long time, Firi."

"It's hard to believe that Minwu and Canti made it to this before we did," Firion said, pulling her closer.

"I know… but the way they are makes it seem like they really are meant to be. When think of them now, I find it virtually impossible to picture them apart."

"I can't wait to see what Minwu's like, having… found what he needed."

"He's still the same serene healer we've always known him to be. Though… he seems like he's got so much more on his mind now than he did before."

"Maybe Canti 's carrying his kid, and he's nervous about it."

"…that would be interesting…"

"So, do you want another round of me, or should we move on with our day?"

Firion grabbed her hips. "Oh if it were up to me, we'd never leave this tent."


	95. Ch 10, part 6

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 6

Cantirena lay on the Emperor's bed, her eyes half open. She must have been there a while before she heard much of anything around her. All that had been going on, it was amazing that she wasn't keeping much attention. When she sat back up, she found Minwu sitting at the table next to the wall with a stack of books taller than he was.

"Ah," Minwu said, looking over. "Are you all right, my student?" He looked back at his book.

She nodded, not wanting to say much. She rolled herself off the bed, falling onto the floor, then picking herself back up slowly. When she made it over to his side, she rubbed her eyes and barely managed to croak out, "What… what happened?"

"You saved me from the Demon King using Mighty Guard," Minwu said, continuing to read. "After that, I think you fell into some sort of coma. No one could get you to respond to anything, so I decided to set up studying here instead of the library." He frowned slightly. "Mateus and Lady Airu went to retrieve more texts for us to study. We will be at this a while."

She sat next to him, picking up a book, though the words looked more than blurry. Everything from her eyes to her heart ached, and reading, while she knew it was vital to saving the world, was such a waste of time. "Cosmos Almighty, I can't see worth shit," she grumbled. "Some student I am."

"You're a terrific student, Cantirena," Minwu said, pointing at the book. "Stop making excuses. We must find the solution before the Demon King decides to take to the Emperor's body again, otherwise we're both in trouble. Especially you, once he noticed you were able to cast the Goddess' defense spell. He really didn't take well to that. He made it perfectly clear that it proves your lineage, and that's why he wants to mix blood with you. He wants your powers to carry over into a second generation that he can possess because they're of the Palamecian bloodline." He turned another few pages. "Ugh, this book has nothing either." He placed it on a stack which was on the floor. "Wake up. We don't have much time." He frantically picked up another book.

"Much time," Cantirena repeated, rubbing her eyes again. "Minwu, what's this about? It's not just about stopping the war or defeating the Demon King once and for all, is it? You're in a panic."

"You don't understand," Minwu said. "I'm doing this for your sake!" He glared right at her. "I am not going to have you die before your destiny is fulfilled."

"Destiny?" Cantirena asked. "I don't have a destiny, Minwu. No one does. Life is what we make it." She frowned, too. "So… what is my destiny then? What are you so hell bent on seeing happen that it throws you into a mild panic?"

"I will see you taken care of before I die," Minwu said. The warmth she usually found him full of seemed gone. He wasn't just driven, emotionally he was empty. It was like he was in his last days, and he knew it ahead of time. What could have turned such a composed person like Minwu into something like this? He'd gone mad…

"You said you weren't going to die!" Cantirena shouted. "You promised me-"

"My student, I-"

"Don't give me that." She put the book down. "Minwu, if you think for a second that you can… lead my heart one way and then drop it suddently because of some so-called destiny, you're really not going to get any help from me. I'd rather kill the Emperor than..."

"Continue," a male voice said from the doorway. "I will hear of your treason myself."

"I swore no loyalty to you," Cantirena said, standing up from the table. "You stay the hell away from both me and Minwu, Mateus!" she shouted, putting her hands up defensively. "I don't know what you've done to my teacher to make him this way, but I won't stand for it anymore."

"No," Minwu said, turning and putting his hands on hers. "The Emperor has done nothing to me. I trust him to your care."

"What?!" she gasped. "You want him to take care of me?"

"That is what Minwu has suggested," Mateus said, stepping in the room. "Your teacher is a wise man. You know this. He would not steer you wrong. I have agreed to keeping you here in the Palamecian capital, where you will be provided for over the remainder of your life as if you were a part of the royal family. I don't require that you marry me in exchange."

"But you still want me as your prisoner."

"Are you behind bars?" Mateus asked. "If that's where you'd rather be, I'll arrange it."

She crossed her arms. "What's in it for you? Or are you possessed by the Demon King again?"

"Do you always respond with contempt when people try to do things to help you?" Mateus asked again. When he stepped next to Cantirena, he thrust a book into her hands. "Me taking care of you is payment for Minwu's services," he answered her question sternly, though he didn't like her arrogance towards him at all. "He will help me be rid of Iluia once and for all, and in exchange, I will look after your well being."

"…are you going to leave me here?" Cantirena asked.

"No, he will stay with you, of course," the Emperor answered. "He and I both know that if you were separated from him as you were before, you will probably be driven to insanity. The Demon King took advantage of how confused you were, my lady, and for that I apologize. When you look at me, you must remember everything he put you through while wearing my face. I cannot atone for what I've done except offer you safety in such troubled times."

"…troubled times that you caused…" she muttered.

Mateus rolled his eyes. He wasn't very good at playing the part of someone looking for forgiveness, but he wanted to bring those old feelings back. The ones she fell in love with. He needed to show her somehow that he was the one she adored all that time ago. Minwu was convinced that he no longer wished to wage war, or at least he acted like he accepted the Emperor's attempts at smoothing things over to a degree, but Cantirena was much more stubborn about it. She stared at him with anger, with rage. Those were the eyes of someone who would very well run some sort of weapon through his heart if she had the chance, and the only reason she wasn't at the moment was because Minwu was stopping her from doing so.

"My lady," Mateus said, stepping closer to her. "Do you not remember that spring day when our paths crossed the first time?"

Cantirena nodded carefully, looking down at the book that Mateus had given her. "…the Tome of… Mysidian Mages…?" she read the cover. "This is the same book that I-"

"It's not the same copy you brought with you to Palamecia. I brought that one back from Mysidia when I was there recently. I took it from an abandoned house," Mateus explained. "Yours was destroyed in the Dreadnaught Warship during your rescue. But… when I found this, I decided that you were going to want your textbook back." He extended a hand to her. "You're the only light left in my life, Cantirena. Help me. With you around, I'm sure I could… I'm sure that Palamecia could find peace. The land could heal with your influence here."

Cantirena didn't look up from the book. "Mateus, I-"

_Take my hand, my lady, _Mateus thought. _Come to me._

"I've never stopped thinking about you," she said. "When Minwu asked me how I felt about you the first time after coming back to my senses, I told him that I wanted to save you more than anything."

_That's good_, he thought. _Come to me. I've waited for this…!_

Minwu didn't turn to look at her before he even spoke. "And I shouldn't have… led you to believe you should want anything other than that. Cantirena, I'm sorry. I was afraid that if I didn't stop you from going back to him somehow, that you would become his living weapon again."

"So you pretended to love me so I wouldn't go back to him willingly."

"I didn't pretend at anything, but I did take it too far."

"But, my lady, you have the opportunity to make it all right. You can make that dream come true. You can work for the world peace you were inspired to bring about right here in Palamecia," Mateus said gently. "I do not wish to make you fight for me."

"What makes it any different though? Instead of being your weapon, I'm your toy in your castle," Cantirena said, putting the book on the table. She walked back over to the bed so she could sit a distance away from both of them. She didn't want to look at either of them. Her heart ached. What happened to making her own decisions about life and what she wanted to do? "I'm nothing but a thing to you. A means to an end. Give it a rest, Your Grace. Minwu, you can stay here if you want, I want to go back home. Back to Fynn."

"I miss Fynn as much as you do, but Cosmos sent us here for a reason," Minwu said, picking up another book. "We are here to do what is right for the world, and that means, your help is needed as much as mine is."

"That's right," Mateus said. "Palamecia needs to heal from all of the influence the Demon King has had over it since the country was founded. With you here, we really can make this into a holy land that Palamecia the First wanted it to be: the Goddess' country, where all of those who come could live in her light and harmony. This world has had many troubles over the years, and there will be more troubles to come because mankind is far from perfect; but if we bring our efforts together, we may yet be able to lessen the troubles that will be thrust upon us."

Cantirena felt her eyes burn with tears. "…how _dare_ you say that again…"

"You remember."

"All too well." She answered, sniffling once. "Are you really the same prince…?"

"I am the same person," Mateus lied, sitting down next to her. "All that has changed is my title. Let me help you bring your dream to life." Once again, he put his open hand out, gesturing for her to take it.

_Take my hand, _he thought. _Minwu is mine, and now you will come to me next. He doesn't know where his visions have come from simply because I've put them there. You've both been in my land longer than he remembers, my lady. His memories were easy to reconstruct during the confusion. Him first, because you trust him more than anyone. You may be curt and unruly now, but that will fade. That will fade, and it will be beautiful._

Cantirena started to reach for the Emperor's open hand. "Mateus," she whispered. "If you are the same as you were before, I want you to do one thing for me."

"If it is in my power, then it shall be done," he replied.

"I want you to stop all of the advances of your troops. I want the war ended right as of this second. Call back your forces from Fynn, Salamand, and every other place you occupy. Bring them all back here to Palamecia. Set the slaves in the camps free so they may go home. End the war, so that we may concentrate on getting rid of Iluia," Cantirena said. "Then, and only then will I believe that you are indeed the Prince I fell in love with who wanted to strive for world peace. Only… only then would I accept the offer to stay with you."

"…so be it," Mateus said. He knew that the moment he had everything where he wanted it, he was just going to start it up all over again. The world was his to conquer, and this was only a minor setback. "I will carry out your wishes." He got back up and smiled.

_You've no idea what's to come now, Cantirena._ _You obviously have no idea what's going on._


	96. Ch 10, part 7

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 7

Emperor Mateus gave the order as he promised he would do, impressing both Airu and Minwu over the fact that he listened to what Cantirena had to say. The banners came down, people were freed from the slave camps, and ships were sent out with the prime directive of returning all of Palamecia's people back home. Families were reunited at home, celebrations were had. The commoners were claiming that an angel had come to save not only their Emperor from his nightmares, but to save them as well. Cantirena would have none of that, as all it did was make her feel horrible. She was torn. All she did was give an order, honestly. All she did was tell him that there was no way she'd accept him as an ally unless he followed her directions. But, he did do what he said he was going to do, and Cantirena hated it. She expected to be refused and locked away for questioning the Emperor at all. She was led through the castle, hailed as a heroine and a savior. Neither Minwu or Mateus were far from her side during all of this. Palamecia had seen the end of its nightmares, and Cantirena was given the credit for it.

She stood in front of a very large glass window overlooking the harbor where many of the Empire's ships were launching off to bring back every single one of their troops. She put her hand on the glass, watching each ship as they left the harbor one by one.

"You have leadership potential," Airu said from her side. "You will make an excellent queen, Cantirena."

Cantirena shook her head. "I… don't think I should be."

"And why not?" Airu asked. "Here in Palamecia, even a baseborn can rise up through the ranks if he works hard enough. You, my dear, have changed the course of history. You will make my son a lovely wife."

Minwu agreed with that quietly. He was still studying, even while standing. "Your place is no longer with me, my student. You have proven that you are ready to continue with your life."

_I wish you'd stop saying that,_ Cantirena thought. _Because I want… to always remain by your side._

"You have such a sad look on your face," Mateus said from behind her. "I can see it in your reflection on the mirror. Pray tell what is on your mind."

_I wish you'd just stop talking to me, period,_ she thought, turning away from the window.

"My lady Airu, and… Your Imperial Majesty," Cantirena said aloud, trying to sound as regal as possible. "I'm glad to have assisted you in providing peace to your people, but I do not wish to remain in Palamecia for the rest of my life. My home is Fynn. I wish to help with the rebuilding of my home country."

Minwu shook his head. "Fynn is a dangerous place. You would not be protected there as you are here."

"I don't care how dangerous it is," Cantirena said. "I've faced tons of danger getting this far through life. I faced the worst danger in this very castle the first time I was here!"

"That is all in the past now," Mateus said. "I even feel the strength of the Demon King in my body fading away, the closer I am to you. Surrounded by love and support, he cannot make his presence known." Ah, there he was, passing himself off as a lovely handsome pure-hearted prince again. Speaking in a soft tone like that was never his style, but if it helped bring his plans to fruition, he would play any part he needed.

"So, for the good of the world," Minwu said. "Stay here and help keep the Demon King in check."

"What?" Cantirena asked. She walked up to Minwu, looking up into his eyes. How empty they had become, instead of being full of warmth as they usually were. "You were going to break the possession completely. You said that's why we are even here in the first place. Minwu… I don't want to stay here forever. I want to go home. Back to our tower of Fynn castle…" she reached up and touched his face. "Minwu… remember what Hilda said? Paul said her last words were-"

"Hilda's final words are of no importance now," Minwu said, putting his hand on top of hers and removing it rather coldly. "As you have no parents now, and you are my student, I have made the arrangements for you to be taken care of. Cantirena, this isn't just about you and your selfishness. It's time to grow up, my student, and look at the big picture. If you are the only one that can keep the Emperor sane, then it is good for the both of you to stay together."

"Minwu… now I know something is wrong…" she said worriedly. "You've never once called me selfish. You've never once told me to grow up. What happened to you? You… you aren't my teacher… You're not Minwu!" Her heart ached more than it did before. "…Mateus! Where is my teacher? What have you done with him?!"

Mateus grinned internally. Oh now that was delicious, wasn't it? Her heart was breaking right there, for all to see. But here it was. He was about to break her heart into such shatters that not even the Goddess could bring her back.

"My lady," Mateus said, walking up to her. "You are right. That one is not Minwu at all. He looks and sounds just like him, but honestly… he is just someone made to look like your teacher." He waved his hand, and a magical aura formed around Minwu. With a burst of light, he revealed that the person who stood there wasn't Minwu at all. He was a somewhat-dark skinned person she'd never seen before who dressed like him. "I knew you wouldn't be able to take the truth, so I tried to cover it up from you, my lady. Minwu is dead."

"No!" Cantirena shouted. "Where is his body?!"

"He faded away shortly after his passing. He guarded you with his last breath."

"That's not right," she said angrily. Her body swarmed with all of her latent magical powers, her sadness and rage unable to be sated any longer. "You… you _monster_!"

"I did not kill your teacher," Mateus stated. "Calm yourself."

"No! If it wasn't you, then it must have been the Demon King who killed him!" She was ready to destroy the entire palace, and she had the power to do it. Mateus was aware of her abilities, but he wasn't ready for her to use them on him.

"I realize that you are sad, my lady, but this is not the way to grieve."

"I don't want to grieve," she roared at him. "I want revenge on the one who took his life. I'll start with you!"

When she ran at him, he extended his hand, casting the first thing that came to mind. "Freeze time. **STOP**!" he shouted, causing her to stop where she was. "…that didn't go exactly as planned…"

Airu frowned. "You didn't kill him, did you?"

"No, but perhaps I should," Mateus grumbled.

The man who had been disguised as Minwu stood there with a blank expression on his face as if he didn't know why he was standing there. He looked around curiously until Mateus thrust the broader end of his scepter through the man's chest and he flopped dead onto the floor.

"Let her have her teacher if it means she will obey you, my son," Airu suggested. "We can't have power like that running out of control. You may keep her if it pleases you, but don't go thinking she'll willingly walk into your arms with all that's happened thus far. Besides… why would you want her _now_? You launched ships to declare the war was ending. You set people in slave camps free on her request."

Mateus looked at his mother. She was an intelligent woman, but she didn't have the ability to see through his actions. She never was able to see what he was doing, even when he was a child. "Oh, Mother, you do not understand," he laughed to himself quietly. "What she saw is what I led her to believe she saw. She does not know that every front has been strengthened now, and she need not know that. Palamecia will have a great festival at for your birthday, she will attend and see peace. She will not know that her beloved Fynn will be nothing but a crater, leaving Palamecia the only home she will have."

Mateus took a few steps closer to Cantirena, putting his hand in front of her face. "Moonbeam's whispers, **SLEEP**!" he cast the spell, causing her to fall over against him. He lifted her up into his arms, carrying her out of the hall. "You will wake up with your teacher. He will wake up next to you." He arrived at another bedroom, placing her on the bed and covering her up. When he snapped his fingers, two attendants came to answer his call. "This room belongs to the lady who sleeps in the bed. Do be sure all of her needs are met. She will come with another guest, and you will look after him as well."

"We will do as you will, Your Majesty," the two attendants answered, bowing before him.

"Good," Mateus said, walking out of the room and heading towards the other end of the castle.

The paths became darker as he came to the dungeons. He hadn't been there in a while, and it was always good to inspect everything every now and then. The first door was the only one he felt he needed to check now; as it was the only one that had a prisoner within that he was remotely interested in checking. He slid the door open as it let out a very loud, rusted _cree-ee-ak_ sound.

"How does he fare?" Mateus asked a man standing in the darkest part of the shadows with a whip in his hand.

"I doubt 'e has another day left in 'im, sire," the punisher's voice was grumbling even when he spoke at full volume. He had a voice which could have belonged to an ogre, it was so gruff and unrefined. But that is not why he was working in the palace dungeons. "Y'think 'e needs some more punishin'?"

"I wish to speak with him further before you carry out the sentence," Mateus answered. "Where is our favorite mage?" He looked around, but he couldn't see much. With a quick flip of his hand, he created a ball of light to illuminate the room around him, and there he could see Minwu, wearing nothing but a loincloth, his arms chained to the ceiling to keep him up right. "…there you are."

Minwu's body was in tatters. He had no strength, his skin bruised and bloody from all the beatings and lashings he had taken since he became a prisoner. His throat was so dry he couldn't manage a word at first. Minwu's eyes held nothing but contempt for the Emperor, who he was sure had only come to mock him now that he was about to die.

"Have you seen the errors of your ways?" Mateus asked. "You can survive this whole ordeal. Beg me for mercy and accept me as your Emperor, and you will suffer no more pain, Minwu."

Minwu couldn't manage more than a glare. Even as starved and as hurt as he was, his eyes were still burningly passionate. They still held emotion in them, and Mateus hated it.

_Kill me now if you wish,_ Minwu thought. _I will not submit to you._

"Truthfully, I cannot have you die," Mateus said. "Your student tried to kill me."

_Good!_ Minwu thought.

"You will come with me and tend to your student's needs," Minwu said angrily. "Be glad that I am forced to keep you alive, Minwu. Otherwise, you were supposed to die tomorrow."

"…no…" Minwu whispered, as he couldn't manage to speak any louder.

"Excuse me?" Mateus asked.

"…she will… kill you…" Minwu coughed. "…I… will die… for that."

"You fool," the Emperor sneered, looking over at the punisher. "Give the mage lashes until he passes out. Do not let him die. Inform me immediately of when he cannot take any more. I will be back for him then."

"Aye, sire," the punisher said, rearing back his whip and letting it crack against Minwu's bare back. "All right, criminal! Face your punishment like a man!"

"Emp…eror," Minwu muttered, making Mateus turn around again.

"Hm? Was there something else?"

"Fuck… you!"

"This is what happens when humans roam the world ungoverned properly," Mateus mused towards Minwu, placing his hand under Minwu's chin. "They have this sense of arrogance, like only their words matter."

Minwu's firey eyes did not waver even after taking another lash. His conviction was stronger than ever before. He'd rather die than submit, especially after hearing that Cantirena would finish Mateus off if she believed him to be dead.

"You were an obedient servant to Hilda, were you not? Serving Cantirena would not be so different, except she would let you feast upon her body whenever you wanted. Such pent up frustrations only lead to more violence… Your student is full of violence. I wonder if you taught her that violence at times when your emotions are unstable is a good thing in your lessons. Perhaps you are the reason she is violent at all. That would make you a terrible teacher, wouldn't it? You can correct an egregious mistake. Let your violent feelings play you no more like a puppet on strings, Minwu. Be at peace."

"I… am… at peace," Minwu said. "I… will die… So… will you."

"Perhaps I should bring Cantirena down here, let her see you in this state…? Hm?"

"You'll… die… even faster…"

"Or she'd beg for your life in any way she could possibly think of."


	97. Ch 10, part 8

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 8

Galtea was buzzing with activity. People of all ages were gathered in the center of town around Prince Gordon. There were cheers from everybody to support him from all of them. The sun was just starting to come up, and Gordon north, in the direction of Fynn castle. It was perfectly visible from where he stood. He didn't have time to wait for Minwu. He was ready for it all to be done and over with. Fynn was going to be theirs by the end of the day, regardless.

Ricard came from the east, lifting his spear to command attention. "Your Highness," he called out, catching Gordon's attention. "Firion and the girls have finished their preparations. We are ready to commence."

"All right," he said with a nod. "People of Galtea! Be you of Fynn, Altair, or any other place, lend me your aid! We will take back the capital this very day! Palamecia will govern us no more!"

There was a roar from the crowd. They lifted their weapons, from pitchforks to swords all tempered by Master Tobul, as they watched Gordon climb into the canoe Minwu gave Firion at the very start of their journey. Soon, they were aboard their own homemade rafts following Gordon's canoe. He stood at the front of it, holding up his spear in his left hand. Behind him was Firion and Clarisse, rowing, and in the back was Candice, who held up the white flag of Fynn in one hand, and the beautiful red flag of Kashuon in the other. Leila and her crew of ten pirates were on a few rafts to the side, and Cid was leading a few on his own, too. Paul and Krystal both were on rafts, ready to do all they could to help in the fight.

"You ready for this?" Candice asked in one moment where she caught Clarisse's eye.

"I've been ready for this the day our home was taken from us," Clarisse answered her quickly. "The day my adopted parents were murdered in front of me… the day my little sister went missing… everything about my life changed the day Palamecia attacked Fynn. It's going to change again, this time for the better."

"We'll make Fynn all better, so when Cantirena and Minwu come home, they can live their life in peace," Candice said, smiling. "So they don't have to fight anymore."

Firion said from behind Clarisse, "We put this plan off for days looking for them, and they haven't shown up yet." He was rowing, too. "Yo, Gordon."

"Yes?" Gordon asked. "Is something wrong?"

"Not that I've noticed, but I tend to be slow on the uptake," Firion said, laughing a little at himself. "I just wanted to make sure you're ready to do this. I don't hear you praying or begging anyone to lend you strength to see you through this, so… I just wanted to check on you. That's all."

"Thank you for your consideration," Gordon said, not even turning around to look at him. His eyes were locked on the prize. "But I can't always rely on the strength of others. I've resolved to live my life on my own strength, because in the end, that's all I'll ever have. The moment I start to rely on anyone else… they'll be taken from me."

Firion never stopped to think about it that way. "I'm sorry," was all he could bring himself to say.

"It's fine," Gordon said. "Worry not, Captain Firion, everything will be fine. I have faith in all of us."

"If you don't have faith in times like these, you don't have much else," Clarisse thought aloud. They were crossing Lake Fynn. Every other time she'd been on a boat in the lake, she was fishing. She remembered all of those lazy, peaceful days of her childhood in Fynn as she took a few seconds to look around at her surroundings. The vibes were completely different, but the place was the same. Lake Fynn had not changed, nor would it ever. Just the events around it changed as time passed. In a way, it was comforting to know that the place itself was not different than it used to be. It gave her hope that things could be just as peaceful as they were before, and with that in mind, it strengthened her resolve that much more.

_I'm here to avenge you, Mother and Father, _Clarisse thought. _I'm here to protect you, Cantirena. It will always be our home, no matter where you go._

…

For a split second, Minwu felt his life force slipping out of his body. His eyes opened and closed without him being able to control them, yet he was unable to see anything. He was both hungry and thirsty, but did not wish to partake of anything. He felt hands touching his skin, but he knew not who they belonged to. Minwu heard voices around him of different volume and tone, though he could not make out whose they were. His body was limp and could not move on its own.

A few moments passed, and Minwu felt warmth seep into his skin and soothe the pain within his wounds. It was the most comforting warmth he'd ever felt. Was the Goddess giving him a new chance at life, or was the Emperor of Palamecia mocking him to revive him enough to torture him again? He didn't know. He knew it must have been some sort of white magic. Nothing else could create such a sensation. His wounds slowly sewed themselves up and his heart found a restful pace to beat, unlike the heavy thumping which was the only sound he could hear for almost as long as he could remember.

His eyes closed again, and he was able to take in a deep breath. Minwu was restored, though his mind and body were still exhausted from the beatings even if he no longer felt the stings from the lashes. It didn't hurt anymore.

"Am I… dead?" Minwu heard his own voice ask aloud, though he wasn't sure if he was the one who said it or not. His eyes still weren't able to focus very well. There was light around him, perhaps from torches on the walls or a fireplace nearby. It took more of the healing magic before his vision came back to the way it was supposed to be, and he found Cantirena kneeling over him with her hands over his heart.

"Don't move," she whispered, the pale warm light steady in her hands. "You're still in bad shape."

"Did he bring me to you so you'd serve him?" Minwu asked weakly. "Did you… beg for my life?"

"Actually, no," Cantirena said gently. "I woke up here, alone, and you were next to me… bleeding all over everything. I decided to do what you would do in the situation and put my spirit to work. Try not to move too much. I'm not done yet."

"…where is… he, anyway?" Minwu asked. He was still dizzy, so he wasn't going to sit up anytime soon, but he was coherent enough to try to assess the situation.

"If I knew where Mateus was, I would tell you," she stated simply. "Last I saw him, I was trying to kill him. I must have dreamt that, because I don't remember most of what happened to make me draw my magic against him. Truthfully, I don't think I'm a match for his magical prowess, considering he has the Demon King in his body." Cantirena pointed her fingers together, making a sort of triangle shape. The magic was a bit more intense now. Instead of casting a revival spell, now she was putting all her effort into healing him completely.

"You are his antithesis," Minwu said quietly. "He fears your capabilities, because you have the power which rivals his. The power of the Goddess could match the powers of the Demon King in combat. If Mateus himself is not aware of it, then the Demon King surely is. He would make you his servant to prevent you from turning those powers against him. He probably just sees it as yet another gem in his crown to add to the others which comes from making you into his Empress."

"Minwu, I…"

The door opened nearby and in walked Lady Airu. The moment she was inside, she closed the door behind her and locked it. She was quiet in her approach, until she reached the foot of the bed.

"Minwu," she said in a hushed volume. "I need your help, if you can manage."

"Lady Airu!" Cantirena said. "You hold tight here, Minwu, I've got a Queen Regent's ass to kick."

"Hold!" Minwu said, "What a coincidence, my lady, because I need your help… if you can manage."

"Wait a minute," Cantirena said hesitantly. Once the healing spell was finished, she turned her attention to Airu completely. "You want me to be your son's bride. Whatever the hell it is you want, you have to promise me that you won't force me into the relationship just because it keeps your son sane, or whatever."

"My dear, I do not wish to force you into anything. On the contrary, he wanted me to help me persuade you into it. He thought perhaps my backing would make you accept his offer easier than… well… what happened. The truth is that I wish to free my son of the possession, but he will not let me be free in the palace unless I act like I support his plans completely," Airu explained softly. "And I told him I was coming here to check on the two of you, to see if you were ready to accept his offer… Cantirena, he had Minwu tortured to within an inch of his life. I don't want to force you into anything but if you want Minwu live, you should accept his offer."

"I won't accept any trade like that. You said you don't want to force me into being with Mateus, and then you say that?" Cantirena asked. "You think I'd give up my love for Minwu like that? Because if you do, you're wrong. I love Minwu, Lady Airu. This is not up for negotiation."

"…no," Minwu said, making Cantirena look over at him. "My life is of little consequence. However… if he will show you where the Stone of Iluia is, perhaps you can keep him distracted while Airu and I create the crystal we need to destroy it…"

"But- but- if I accept his offer, you know what he's going to do to me, right?" Cantirena asked. "You know he's gonna have his way with me."

"I'm aware of this," Minwu said, smirking just a little. "I'm also aware of the fact that you have enjoyed his touch before, emotional implications or not. Cantirena, what matters the most is not what happens to us on a personal level at this point. We have to do all we can to save everybody. We need to work in a way where we will not be seen. You can give us time. And remember, even if he does do what he did to you last time, we saved you before. I never thought I was going to have my student back, but I did. Your sisters broke the curse the Demon King put on you. Cosmos knows it wasn't me that did it. Though I'm sure if Mateus knew about it, it would be a game changer, too…" He pulled himself up just enough to where his shoulders were not parallel to the rest of his body, so that he might give Airu a stern look. "I'm guessing the way you want me to help you is by creating that crystal. Paul gave me the book you gave him and I have it memorized, but there are still parts that I have yet to solve."

"We will get to that," Airu said gently. "So, Cantirena, shall I speak to the Emperor on your behalf, then?"

Minwu put his hand on Cantirena. "I don't know if I'm making it out of here alive. I cannot make you any promises. But if I do survive, know that my heart is yours."

"You can't just give up, Minwu. Remember what you told me in the forest outside Mysidia? What becomes of someone who takes another life?"

"…yes. We must live for those whose lives we have taken, to do not just our part in helping the world, but their parts as well," Minwu said. "I remember."

"That means we have to get back to Fynn together so we can start rebuilding everything all ready," she said. "Because I'll be damned if I'm going to marry anybody but you, Minwu."

"Even if it is considered taboo? Even if I'm nearly twice your age?"

Cantirena shrugged. "You know me better than anyone else alive. You've done nothing but teach, encourage, and love me since we've met. There's nothing I wouldn't do for you, Minwu. Even if it means now I have to go and distract a man in a way I'd much rather distract you in." She bent down and kissed his forehead, but he pulled her down further into a real kiss. "Goddess, what I wouldn't do…"

Lady Airu blushed a little. She didn't want to look at that intense display of affection. "It's not like you'll be apart forever. Even Mateus is aware of the fact that you go crazy without Minwu. He wouldn't dare jeopardize his chances of having you… but I cannot keep him waiting long."

Cantirena stood up on her own two feet and tried to force a smile, but it didn't come out. "Perfect opportunity to practice my acting, then," she said. "All right, Lady Airu. Tell good ol' Empy that I accept my fate and will come to his side, but also tell him that right now I'm distraught or in an emotional state where I can't handle being around him at the moment. I dunno, make something up."

"…why?"

"I need alone time with Minwu, that's why."

"We've no time for this," both Minwu and Airu grunted at the same time.

"I don't care what we do and do not have time for," Cantirena declared sternly. "I'm tired, I'm hungry, I'm emotionally unstable, and I just saved my true love from bleeding to fucking death. Give me a frickin' break before I break somebody. I don't want to rush into having to run Mateus arms right now. I'm so crabby I would blow the whole thing without even trying."

Minwu chuckled quietly. "My love, you know we can't do it that way. Mateus won't harm you. He'll probably break your heart or your psyche, but I know for a fact that physical harm is not his intent. So be brave for me. We'll get through this."

Cantirena crossed her arms. "Oh all right, fine… Airu, go tell Mateus I'm weeping for his forgiveness." She made a fake sniffle. "Waaaah, I tried to kill the man I don't love because he told me the man I do love is dead, waaaaah. Forgive me for being vengeful, waaah."

"Okay, enough sarcasm," Airu said. "If you're going to act that part, get into position. Minwu, act like death warmed over. You're asleep. Less said between you two, the better."


	98. Ch 10, part 9

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 9

Swords clashed between the rebels of Fynn and the Palamecian Dark Knights. Firion and Clarisse led the team straight through the town square, with Candice right behind them, armed with a bow and a quiver strapped to her shoulders. Gordon went with them in the center, his spear out, taking the ones who tried to attack the team from behind. They made their way to the steps of the castle, unable to be stopped. They were a force to be reckoned without a doubt.

Ricard, Leila, and Cid were busy handling the knights in the town square once the main four made their way through the center, with Paul picking the pockets of every mythril-clad Imperial Trooper that came before them. Once they had enough territory, Krystal watched over townspeople who were not quite ready to fight. They gathered around a statue of King Fynn the First, with Krystal standing on the top of the statue, looking out in all directions to make sure no more Imperials were coming. Leila's pirate gang helped keep all of the people safe and from being hurt by any of the knights. It took about three hours for the town to be free of the Palamecian troops, and from there, the Pirates went and set up a barricade surrounding the castle and the town to ensure there were no more attacks from the outside.

By the time that happened, Firion was panting heavily, looking around in a panic. Most of the knights were inside the castle, and they were wrong about how many troops were stationed in Fynn. Gordon grievously underestimated the amount of force they were fighting, but that didn't matter at this point.

"There's a clearing," Candice said loudly, "Head towards the stairs!"

"We're only one floor away from the throne," Gordon shouted, thrusting his spearhead into the neck of an attacking knight. "We're almost done…" Sweat poured from every place in his body. "…but we're not breaking through very well…"

Clarisse put her hands together, shooting out ice at attacking dark knights. "I have an idea," she said once a few of them fell over. "Candice, you go with Gordon through the stairs. Firion and I will guard this entrance."

"No," Gordon snapped. "We all go through. Once we have the throne, we can sweep through and get all the others at our own pace, if they don't desert once the castle is ours."

"Ah, all right, then," Firion said. "Charge through, Prince! I've got your back, your highness!"

"Well said, Captain," Gordon replied, giving him a nod. He used every ounce of his strength and pushed through a few guards, stabbing another with his spear in his right hand. With that, he was able to make it to the stairs. He turned around, standing defensively in front of it. "All right, you three! Come on! We don't have much left! We're so close! For our honor! For our _freedom_ we must _**prevail**_!"

…

Minwu closed his eyes, doing his best to look like he was in a dreamless sleep once he saw that Cantirena had hunched over the side of the bed, trying to start her tears. It took her a few minutes, but eventually, she had her tears falling onto the pillow she buried her face into. He tried to act like he lost feeling in the rest of his body, but it wasn't easy.

A few moments later, he heard the door open again.

"Cantirena," Mateus' voice said. "Turn and look at me."

"…I can't."

"Look at me, my princess."

"Don't make me do this," she said softly. "I just saved my teacher from _dying_… let me… let me be, please."

"I know you wish to recover from all that has happened recently," the Emperor's voice was very quiet. He was trying to show no frustration, though it wasn't easy. "Before I let you rest, I wish to speak with you."

"…speak to me here," she cried. "I don't want to go anywhere…"

"Do you dare speak to the Emperor in such a tone?" Mateus asked.

Cantirena sighed. Minwu felt her weight come off of the bed. He could hear her hiccup a few times before busting into a sobbing session harder than she had cried in years.

"You are so stricken, you cannot even speak," the Emperor's words seemed cold. "That is fine. Allow your teacher to rest for now. He will need time to recover. Come with me."

"A…all right…"

Within seconds, Minwu heard the door close. He instantly sat up, though his midsection still hurt. She did a remarkable job patching him up, though she didn't even stop to think about the soreness left behind. Ah well. The fact that she was able to call him back from the sensation of death and heal every wound he had was good enough for him. She wasn't a perfect healer yet, but he knew it would come with time and patience. Everything he ever wanted to teach her had sunk in to a degree, and it filled him with a sense of pride. He loved her with all of his being, and he silently thanked her for all she had done for him. Minwu put his hand on his heart, which was beating at a comfortable pace. At one point, his pulse was so high, he thought his heart would explode, and at others, it was so low that he could feel his dizziness get the better of him.

_Cantirena,_ he thought, closing his eyes again like he wanted to send his thoughts to her. _I am so very sorry about what you must endure. I wouldn't have you in his arms in any other situation. I'm not the type to wish to keep something so selfishly, but I… I can't imagine living without you by my side. You complete me._

The door opened again, and Airu walked in. She held a stack of three books in her hands. "She's being taken to the inner part of the palace. I was hoping she would be able to come back without having to… be with him like that, but…" she walked over to Minwu and placed the books next to him. Then she put her hands on his belly and cast a spell slowly causing his soreness to fade away. "…there. You winced a few times."

"You're a white mage?" Minwu asked, finally able to sit up completely.

"Aye," Airu said with a slight nod. "So are my children." Her tone faded into something which depicted darkness when she let that slip.

"Mateus is a… a white mage?" Minwu asked again, this time in shock.

"He was training for it during his youth. The same as your Cantirena…" Airu said. "He began training when he turned six years old, and he was _gifted_ at it. It's sad that… those tender hearts we mean to protect and nurture fall off the path so easily." She tried not to let her heart show too much, but she couldn't help it. She cried for her son. "We have to save them both from this spiral of darkness, Minwu."

"…wait," Minwu started. "You said 'children'."

"Mateus adored his older sister. So much so that when suitors came around her, he became jealous, anxious. How dare these strange men come to judge and take his sister away? No… he couldn't handle it. It drove him to such a rage that he locked her away in the highest tower of the castle. He declared to the world that if anyone could make it up there to her, they could have her." Airu told the story so coldly. "…and guess what? A man, riding in a balloon came. Took her right out of the window and headed towards Kashuon. I can't… I don't know where she went, but she was just like him. A talented magic user, especially in healing and protective spells. She was one of the only people who he trusted, and after she was gone…" Airu sat down on the bed, wiping her eyes. "…that's when he began to plot at this world war madness."


	99. Ch 10, part 10

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 10

The Emperor Mateus originally intended to have Cantirena below him until she passed out while in his possession, but seeing exactly how cold she was to everything he did made him change his mind. He watched her very carefully. She had no replies to give him except every now and then, she would just say "yes, your majesty" in a very emotionless, expressionless sort of way. She didn't even cry, as he expected her to do. He wanted to make her beg for mercy, to beg for both her life and that of her dear Minwu, but she was so lost within herself that it wasn't going to happen. He led her down the paths which led to the innermost sanctum of the great castle known for being the greatest landmark in the civilized world, and she followed right at his side, her eyes staring down at the intricately decorated carpets with no desire to look at anything else. Cantirena had little will to resist him or put up a fight, which made what he had in mind seem a complete waste. But as he watched her lovely blue curls bounce up and down as she walked, he came up with another idea.

"I want to make you an offer," he said, putting his hand on her shoulder.

"You have nothing I want," she muttered.

"That's not true, my lady. Right now, I own both you and your teacher. But there is a way to set you free as per Palamecian law that I cannot refuse," Mateus replied very quietly.

Suddenly, Cantirena looked at him. He saw that there was a spark of life in her yet with that expression.

"You are interested now, hm?" he asked.

"Tell me what the catch is," she said. "What do I have to do?"

Mateus smiled just a little. "You are aware that there will be a tournament on my mother's birthday, yes? What you don't know is how it works. Anyone in the world may participate; and to the victor goes the spoils, as the saying goes."

"You want me to compete," Cantirena said, putting her hands on her hips.

"Not just that, my lady," he added. "You must win, and you may ask for anything in the world. If it is in my power to make it happen, then I have to make it happen, as per the Palamecian Tournament rules established centuries ago. What do you want more than anything in this world? I can give it to you… if you win."

"You could just let us walk out of here right now without asking me to risk my life, too," Cantirena grunted, looking away. "…Though that would probably take more empathy than you're accustomed to using on a monthly basis, oh mighty Emperor."

"How curt you've grown," Mateus said. "I can live without your sarcasm."

"Forgive me, sire," Cantirena laughed for a moment. "Where do I sign up?"

"You are not frightened?" he asked.

"_Frightened_?" she laughed even harder. "No. I'm _**overjoyed**_! I'm going to win freedom for both Minwu and myself, and there's nothing you can do about it. You just told me that like I wasn't going to take that offer upon hearing it." She loved it. Cantirena got a deal she couldn't refuse and she was ready to start throwing down.

Mateus nodded. "I did know you were going to take the invitation," he said. "You look like you want to be as far from me as you can possibly be. Here is a way to make it happen. You may die in the process, of course. Are you sure you don't want to be safe by my side as my Empress instead? I will protect you from everything. You will have want for nothing."

"As tempting as that is, I've made a promise," Cantirena said sternly. "Your Majesty, I can't turn my back on a promise. I'll fight for our freedom. Glady. I will fight until I have nothing else in me, if that is indeed what it takes to keep the promise I made."

"I see," he said. "If that is the case, then I will send you to the training area. All who sign up for the tournament ahead of time are given a place to stay within the castle where they can hone their skills before they fight."

"Let me tell Minwu," she said, turning around. "He'll be my coach-"

"I'm sorry, my lady," Mateus said, snatching her arm. "You cannot go back to him. You've accepted to join the tournament. You have no freedom until you win it." He snapped his fingers, calling two guards to the hallway. "Take the lady to the training area. Give her an area to herself. Her powers can be quite dangerous and if she kills any other contestants, there will be trouble."

"Wait…!" Cantirena said as the guards each took one of her arms. "You tricked me!"

"I did not deceive you, my lady," Mateus answered, reaching over to put his hand on her forehead to lift her face to he could look directly into her eyes. "You did not ask about all of the rules of the tournament before accepting to enter it. You did want time to yourself, didn't you? Now you will have it."

"…what if I don't want to be in the tournament?"

"Oh, so you accept my wedding proposal, finally? You really _are_ frightened."

"On second thought… fine. I'll go. And then when that tournament starts, I'm killing _everybody_ put in front of me," Cantirena said. "I will be free of you for once and for all!"

"I'm sure you will," he said. "Go then. Prepare the best you can, my lady. I wish you all the best of luck. I'd much rather keep you safe from harm, but… if you're going to run into it, you may go with my blessing."

"I don't need your blessing," she said.

"Fair enough. Be on your way, my lady."

_And when you die at the hands of someone you care about, perhaps you will regret your decision to refuse my offer, _Mateus thought as he watched the guards take Cantirena away. _Because I will be sending invitations worldwide, and when they hear about your involvement, I know they'll come running to my door._

…

Standing in the Fynn Castle throne room, Gordon found himself face to face with a giant of a man wearing the Palamecian Emblem on his black breastplate. He was taller than any man any of the four heroes had ever seen in their life, even sitting in the throne. It was amazing that armor could even fit on him. His face was in the shape of a brick, and his nose just as ugly and squared as his jaw. His hair, which stuck out in black tufts from below his awkwardly placed helmet that didn't fit all on the top of his head, appeared greasy and thickly coated in sweat and dead skin cells. He was piggish, brutish, and very, very smelly.

"I am the new ruler of Fynn," the giant declared in a very gnarled sort of voice that made Candice cringe with disgust upon hearing. "What business do you have with me, hmph?"

"You are not the ruler of Fynn," Gordon said, planting the blunt end of his spear on the floor. "You wear the emblem of Palamecia."

"Aye, because I am the ruler here at His Majesty's order," the giant answered loudly. "The Emperor has put me here, therefore it is my rightful place."

"No!" Clarisse shouted. "This is not Palamecia. Our lands are not his lands. We are citizens of Fynn, and we have come to take back our land, our _home_!"

The giant stood up, reaching behind the throne to draw out a large axe which appeared to be bigger than that of Firion. He grunted as he did so, letting the four know that he was not impressed with this challenge whatsoever. He was disinterested in fighting them, but he was made into the new king of Fynn now. He had no choice but to fight.

"Your land?" the giant asked. "What makes it yours? Are you a member of the royal family of Fynn? No. Did you buy this land? No. Did you take it by force? No." He shook his head, standing up to his full height. "This land is not yours."

"It is," Gordon said. "I am Gordon, Prince of Kashuon. Princess Hilda of Fynn was my bride, making me the king of Fynn." He lied, but it was what he hoped to do before finding out about Hilda's suicide. He always wanted to make her his bride, even after she was betrothed to his older brother. "That throne is mine, if you would kindly remove yourself from it."

"Kashuon is destroyed," the giant said. "So you are the prince of nothing."

Firion gasped as Gordon ran straight at the giant, his spear aimed right for the large man's neck. It went through instantly, killing the giant with a large splatter of blood falling on everything in front of him. The giant fell over and Gordon stabbed him again in the head with every single bit of his strength. His beautiful face was marred with cuts, sweat, blood of both his body and that of those who he killed to get this far.

"Fynn… is free," Gordon declared tiredly. "Hilda… you have not been avenged completely, but… give me time. I will do it… until then… rest knowing that I'll never let anyone else take control of your castle until my dying breath." He blinked a few times before slumping over onto his butt.

"Gordon," Candice cried out, coming up from behind to give him something to lean on. "That was… amazing. I never thought you had it in you."

"…he insulted the memory of Kashuon… the memory of my parents, my knights, and my brother…" Gordon whispered. "I would never let that stand. Just because Kashuon was destroyed does not mean that it's nothing. It still exists because I still exist. I… I am Kashuon…"

Firion nodded in agreement. "I'll go tell everybody. Let's clean the castle up and have a party!"

"We can't throw a party yet," Clarisse said. "Not until we find Minwu and Canti."

"Oh all right then. We'll clean the castle up and… uhh… well, we can have a party - just you and me, right?"

"…oh, Firi…"

_**END CHAPTER TEN**_


	100. Ch 11, part 1

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

_**CHAPTER ELEVEN BEGINS**_

Part 1

Minwu was worried after two days passed and he hadn't heard anything from his student. He could sense that her spirit was still alive, though he did hope that she would appear before him and allow him to know that she was all right in her own words, in her own voice. He missed her terribly as he studied all of the books that Lady Airu had brought him when she had the chance.

Eventually, when Minwu had finished eating a loaf of bread Airu gave him, the one he found standing before him wasn't either of the ladies. It was Mateus.

"…I didn't expect to see you," Minwu said, making the page in the book he was reading so he could put it down. "Do you need to speak with me?"

"I do," the Emperor replied coldly. "I thought perhaps keeping you alive would temper your student's anger into something a bit more useful, but, alas, the poor girl has done nothing but resist me since she came with me two days ago." He walked closer to the mage, giving off a very imposing aura. "Cantirena loves you so much that she refused my gifts and affection. She loves you so much she decided the best thing would be for her to die instead of betray what she believes to be a promise she made to you."

"…she isn't dead. Don't lie to me," Minwu snapped. "I've had enough of your manipulation."

"I'm not manipulating you," Mateus lied. "I'm telling you the truth. Cantirena is not dead, however, she will die if something is not done."

"And what is it that you expect me to do?" Minwu asked. "You want me to die in her place, or perhaps you'd have me convince her that she needs to give you what you want? Your mother tried that approach, and it's very clear that while she left with you, her heart was not going to give up. Cantirena is a stubborn girl. She always has been since I met her." He shook his head. He had to concentrate on figuring out how to make a crystal. All Mateus was doing was distracting him. He believed Cantirena was just fine, and that the Emperor was trying to fool him into doing some stupid errand or some other not-important thing.

"You do not believe me that she is willing to kill herself to preserve her promise to you? Does this not make you feel somewhat… _guilty_?"

"I don't believe word that comes out of your pretty purple mouth," Minwu said, standing up. "Your silken tongue will not deceive me, Mateus." He shook his head. "If… if my student truly believes the only way to carry on is to take her own life, then so be it. It is her choice. I love her more than the world, the sky, the stars, or anything else, but she has the right to do as she wishes. I will not interfere in her will."

"She is the progeny of the Goddess, after all," Mateus said quietly, nodding in agreement. "But look at the expression of worry on your face. Your heart aches for her, does it not? You do love her. Help me save her."

"…so you can kill me at the last moment and take her for yourself."

"No. It's not like that."

"But it is."

"Do you honestly think I would beseech you like this if I did not care for Cantirena's safety and wellbeing?" Mateus asked. "I can have any bride in the world!"

"…except the one you _**want**_, of course."

Mateus glared at Minwu. How _dare _he speak so candidly to the One True Emperor! "I would be more careful in how you speak to me, mage. Cantirena is not here to save you with her Mighty Guard."

"I figure if you wanted me dead, you would have struck me down all ready," Minwu said, looking back down at his book. He was so tired of putting on airs.

"I do not wish anyone dead," Mateus said, "Though I will not tolerate insolence. I am the Emperor of Palamecia. You stand within my palace, which was built in my lands, lest you forget. You may speak candidly, but not disrespectfully."

"…fair enough," Minwu muttered. "So, what's the real reason you came to see me, Your Majesty?"

"I have come to tell you that Cantirena is indeed in danger, and because of Palamecian law, I cannot do anything to stop it," the Emperor explained.

Minwu almost laughed. "Not like following your country's constitution has _ever_ been your strong point…"

Mateus gave him another death glare.

"…Your Majesty," the mage coughed.

"Cantirena has decided to compete in the tournament which shall take place in five days to celebrate my mother's birthday. Based on the laws established for previous tournaments in the past, once she's decided to take part, I cannot remove her from it," Mateus said. "I do not wish her to die."

"Why did she decide to compete?" Minwu asked. "…did you tell her something?"

"No," Mateus lied again. "She was asking why there was a shipment of weapons coming into the castle since I declared the war over, and… I told her about the upcoming tournament. She decided right then that she wanted to take part in it. I could not persuade her otherwise."

Minwu frowned. "The tournament?" he asked suspiciously. "What… are the rules? Why would she even want to fight? She… she is a healer first and foremost, and even Cantirena is aware of this, as we've spoken of it. This does not make any sense at all!" He put the book down. "You told her something. You tricked her into wanting to join that tournament, didn't you?"

"Cantirena stands no chance," Mateus said. "It's not just humans who fight in this tournament."

"…what?"

"There are monsters, brought from the caves under the castle," Mateus continued. "If she wants to make it out alive, she will have to win. To win, she will have to defeat a Behemoth on her own. I do not believe her powers are focused enough to fight such a beast. She does not have the experience for it, I am quite positive."

Minwu sighed. "Do you want me to train her? Do you want me to take her place, perhaps?"

"The rules of this tournament forbid either of those options."

"How is it a tournament if not all involved are actually contestants? A Behemoth cannot compete, as it is not sentient enough to make the decision to fight! It fights because that is all it knows how to do. That is a monster's nature… It's what separates us from the monsters. You've thrown her into a gladiatorial arena, haven't you? You wish to make her fight for your amusement! This is no tournament!" Minwu said angrily. "You've wanted to get me emotionally riled up since you stepped in here. Well now you've done it. Tell me the truth. What did Cantirena join the tournament for? What reason did she give you?!"

"…she wants to make her dream come true, and as per the rules of the tournament, if she wins, then I must grant her any prize she asks for," Mateus said quietly. "She told me straight to my face that she would compete to win freedom for the both of you, because if she wins, I would have no choice but to set the two of you free and no longer be allowed to come between the two of you. I tried to convince her that it wasn't the safest idea, but… Minwu, she loves you, but that love is going to get her killed."

"And what am I supposed to do about it?!" Minwu yelled. "You won't let me train her, you won't let me take her place, and I'm guessing I'm not even allowed to see her right now. You said she wanted to die. I knew you were a lying sack of bones."

"No, I'm quite sure she _wants_ to die," Mateus continued. "She doesn't have the will to fight back. Her eyes were empty when I took her away. She didn't pose any sort of resistance, and it wasn't until the conversation about the tournament even came up that she even had any emotional reaction to anything. Minwu, she'd rather die than break her promise to be with you. She'd rather die than be with me instead of you."

"…I told her to wait it out…" Minwu said. "I told her to give me time…"

"I suppose if you wanted a loophole out of this problem… you'd _take_ it, wouldn't you?"

"…I knew it. You're after something."

"Minwu. If you wish to buy your student's freedom from this terrible despair, now would be the time to make a barter, wouldn't you agree? I will not be here once the official training begins for the tournament. I won't be near the castle. You can suffer in silence alone, or you can try to fix this and save the woman who loves you more than she's ever loved anything – the way you love her, if I'm not mistaken," Mateus smiled.

"…what do you _**want**_? What does it take? When will you stop playing with us like we're your dolls?!"

"Why don't you double your odds of survival?" Mateus asked gently. "You should also enter."

"That doesn't make any sense. We could be pit against each other to fight to the death! That would be incredibly counterproductive, don't you think?!"

"…I take it that means 'no'. Very well, my lovely royal mage. Just know that I will be leaving this evening, and by then, it will be too _late_ to do anything about this," Mateus said, shrugging. He started to leave.

"If Cantirena wants to fight to free us both…" Minwu said, "Then… I have to believe in her. It would do no good to anyone to doubt her. Cantirena is my student, and the one my heart treasures most. She can defeat anything you pit her against, Mateus." He picked the book back up and smiled. "She won't die in the arena. She's too stubborn for that. Cantirena knows what she's doing. I have to believe in that."

"_Amusing_. Still. When it starts, you will have front row seats to the action, if you'd like."

"I wouldn't pass it up," Minwu said proudly. "It'll be the most spectacular graduation ceremony ever arranged, Your Majesty. What kind of teacher would I be if I did not attend such an occasion?"


	101. Ch 11, part 2

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 2

The town of Fynn was full of people dancing, singing, and partying for the whole day after the giant who had been sitting on the throne since the Emperor put him there. The day after that, there was a whole lot of reorganization going on. The town's defenses were made stronger than ever before with watchmen all along the town's borders. Only those from Galtea, Altair, and Fynn were permitted within the boundaries under Gordon's jurisdiction. While normally a free community which allowed anyone from any area, no one wanted to take any chances of spies entering Fynn's borders. It was bad enough that there were surviving Dark Knights that deserted their posts once the throne was taken – it wasn't going to take long for word of Fynn's recovery to reach that of the Palamecian capital.

It was after everything settled down for the night that Clarisse and Firion slipped off into a room to celebrate their own way, leaving Candice by herself in one of the castle's waiting halls, wondering what she was going to do now. She gripped around the beautiful sapphire which hung gracefully around her neck. Was she going to dedicate herself to restoring Deist now? She did promise that after Fynn was saved, she would help Ricard, after all. She became very lost in thought, until she heard the clacking of boots behind her.

"Why are you here alone?" a voice called out to her, catching her attention.

Candice turned around to see that it was indeed the dragoon there. "I… was just thinking of you, actually."

"Likewise," Ricard said, coming to sit next to her on the couch that she had been on for a while now. "So. Peace in Fynn has been restored. Do you have any idea as to what you will do now?"

"I promised I would go to Deist," Candice said quietly. "Or are you going back on restoring your homeland?"

"I would never betray my home," Ricard replied. "I wish to speak with Prince Gordon regarding supplies, but I know things are difficult here in Fynn. Even though the town is standing and the Imperial troops have all gone, the people are still craving normalcy."

"We can go and speak with him together," Candice said, smiling at him. "Don't give up hope, Ricard. I'm sure that in exchange for all your help with the fight here, that Gordon would give you what you need. At least a ship and a handful of men to take care of rebuilding, just to get started. Gordon is not a heartless monarch like some we've run into the past."

Ricard nodded. "Have you spoken with your father about your decision to come with me?"

"Does it look like he and I speak often?"

"…no," Ricard answered honestly. "I figured you would at least tell him of what you wish to do, so that he will not be beside himself with worry. Parents ache over their children, regardless of age."

"Ricard, I know you mean well…" Candice started, not even wanting to look at him right then. What was this feeling? She could feel her heart race. He was a cute boy, and now that he had grown, he was a handsome man, and that voice didn't help much. "…but this is something I need to handle in my own way. Maybe it's cultural differences between those down here living in the peninsula area and those who live in Deist, or maybe it's just me being a stubborn bitch, I don't really know or have time to think about that right now. I made a promise to you, to go with you after Fynn was set free, but…"

"Are you having second thoughts?"

"Something else is bothering me, and no, it's nothing to do with that."

"…you speak of Cantirena, do you not?" Ricard asked.

"You've not even met her yet. How do you know about her?"

"Firion speaks highly of her, as does Clarisse," he answered simply. "They both miss her very much, along with Royal Mage Minwu."

"Minwu may be a bit of a stick-in-the-mud at times, but he's a good person at heart. I'm jealous of Canti… the one she's with is the one who has known her the longest and knows about every one of her quirks; and he still loves her… despite their age difference, despite the rest of the world considering it a taboo. They live more freely than I've ever seen any other couple live. How in the world could I not be jealous of that? I have to deal with my dad's judging of every person to come along in my life, and there's social norms that I have to abide by…" Candice shook her head, showing off her frustration. "Those two need to be back here at home before I can think of leaving. I need to know that those two are safe. Minwu and Canti need to be here. We need them to show us what it's like to march along, not by the drum that the world hears, but by the beats of their own hearts."

"You say they are free, but I do not think you understand what they go through, Candice," Ricard said very softly. "Gordon has told me that Minwu left his post to take care of his student. He was the caretaker to the princess, and had he not left… Princess Hilda would not have met the fate she did."

"He can't blame Minwu for that! That was out of his control, nobody knew what she was thinking. It's wrong of anyone to blame Minwu for Hilda's suicide!"

"I do not believe he does blame Minwu," Ricard added, "Because Hilda and Scott both told him to follow his heart. Minwu did what his heart told him to do."

"…Ricard…"

"Yes, Candice?"

Suddenly the door from the outside burst open, and in ran a messenger as fast as he could go. He zipped past Candice and Ricard, catching their attention, before he ran into the throne room.

Candice got up instantly, walking over to the door to see if she could hear anything about what was going on. Judging by the look on the face of the messenger, something big was going on. Something incredibly big.

"Your Highness, Prince Gordon, I've brought an urgent message from the capital of Palamecia!" the messenger said loudly enough for both Candice and Ricard to hear in the next room.

Candice gasped.

There was enough of a pause to guess that Gordon decided to have the messenger read the message before anything else was said.

"To Prince Gordon Kashuon, may I congratulate you on your victory in retaking Fynn. However, this seems as if it was a waste, as I have called all of my troops back from around the world to participate in my festival celebrating my mother, Lady Airu's birthday. I have declared world peace for the time of this festival! I wish to cordially invite you, or those you wish to have fight in your name, to the tournament which will be held five days from now. Among the guest list are Royal Mage Minwu and his star student Cantirena, both of whom say they look forward to seeing old friends. Please present the ticket in this letter to enter the Palamecian border. I eagerly await your response. Signed, Emperor Mateus Palamecia."

Candice looked at Ricard, running back over to him so no one would know she was trying to overhear everything that was said. "…we have to do something!" she said, trying not to yell. "We know where they are, we need to go to them!"

"Wait for the order, Candice. I'm sure that Firion and Clarisse, as well as you, will be summoned to hear of this matter," Ricard said.

The door to the throne room burst open with Gordon standing there. "Candice!" he said sternly. "I want you to find Firion and Clarisse, bring them to the throne room immediately."

"Firion said he wished to rest. He is in bed right now," Ricard answered the prince very formally.

"I don't care if he's stark naked in the middle of doing the dirty dance between the sheets," Gordon snapped. "Then Ricard, you go get him. Candice, you go find your father. I need him, too. We're going to be launching a major operation, starting tonight. We do not have much time."

"Aye, Prince!" Ricard said, giving a salute, dashing off in the direction of one of the castle towers.

"You got it," Candice said proudly. "I'll go find Dad. You can count on the Polledina family to help you out whenever you need, Prince Gordon."

"Your father has never ceased to be loyal to Fynn, and I see now that it has transferred to you," Gordon said with a smile. "You are the same as a White Knight of Fynn, Candice, except your heart is in the skies, rather than on the ground."

Candice giggled before turning around to leave.

"Oh, and don't tell everyone what's going on, either," Gordon said sternly. "I wish this to be covert more than anything. The people here are starting to go back to a life of balance. I would hate to interfere with that…"

"You have my word. Don't tell a soul, except my dad," Candice agreed before running off.


	102. Ch 11, part 3

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 3

Cantirena didn't resist any of the directions given to her once she was taken to the wing of the castle where all of the contestants for the tournament were being held. She didn't interact with any she passed by, as there was no way she planned on making friends with someone she was going to have to kill to ensure victory. She didn't keep track of time while there. Warriors and mages from all classes and creeds were there, though less than she expected. Each combatant was given a room within the wing, and free passage inside that wing to combat practice areas and dining halls which never ran out of food. A few of the poorer members of the group never lived in such luxury, if it could be called that. The food was half the quality of what was served in Fynn castle during her youth, and many of them praised it like it was the best food they'd ever eaten before. They were all going to die in the tournament, but Cantirena found it extremely hard to care about any of them. They were faceless as far as she was concerned. She had a goal to reach, and goddamn it, _fuck_ anybody who got in her way. One man tried to flirt with her while she was eating her evening meal asking if she'd like to have the chance to experience romance one more time before having to bite the dust, and she gave him a cold stare to take with him to hell. Cantirena didn't give any of them any of her words. There was no physical contact, and when she practiced her drills, it was all aura concentration. She dared not show them what she was capable of, as that was a very stupid strategy. Those who were going to show off their best moves had no idea what they were doing to themselves. No one there was going to fight honorably. They were either baseborn cretins who aspired greedily to a higher life and wished to attain it through fighting in the tournament, or they were battle-crazed fallen former knights who used to serve in the Palamecian army until just days ago and only wanted the chance to once again shove their swords into a body weaker than their own.

Things changed after being in the training program, if it could be called that, for two days. Guards gave them all a message in an envelope, directing them all to take a path from the castle to the nearby coliseum where their practicing would get more intense. While many were either frightened by this prospect or joyful about it, Cantirena had no real reaction to the situation. She would do what she had to. They weren't given a choice as to whether they wanted to go or not. They were being led along by force.

The contestants arrived at the mouth of a cavern, to the surprise of many. The guards pointed inside, stating that this is the path to the coliseum, so if they were not to be late in addressing the Emperor about their wishes before the tournament were to start, they would have to get a move on. Some were even more frightened, as the cave let out air that was rancid and humid. It smelled of monsters and demons, of rotting flesh and leaking sulfur.

Cantirena was the first to approach the cave.

"Girl, what are you doing?" one of the contestants shrieked at her. "Where do you think you're going?!" he was shaking in his knee-high lace up boots. His battle armor did not suit him. He was just as cowardly as Gordon was at the beginning of the war, if not more so. At least Gordon had the balls to pull himself together and fight for his home and the restoration of his people.

"Don't you know anything about Palamecia's geography, or even the local legends?" she asked quietly, speaking to them all for the first time. Many had assumed she was mute, so it caught them off guard. "At least, the legends say that the kingdom is directly connected with Hell itself. The reason why it smells like zombies and dragon dung is because that's what it's full of." She walked up to the mouth of the cave and used her left hand to create a ball of light to illuminate her path. "But if you want to know where I'm going, I have to address the Emperor about my wish, just as the rest of you do. You won't get your wish granted if you don't get to speak with him, right? So pull yourselves together. How much does your wish mean to you?"

"…how much does _your_ wish mean to you, if you – the only woman in this group, and the only person who does not carry any sort of weaponry – can approach such a dangerous place without being at least a little scared?" another contestant asked her.

Cantirena laughed at that. "My wish…" she said, taking a few more steps into the cave. "…is something worth braving Hell for. I don't care what comes at me. It will die, be it a monster… or be it one of _you_."

Even though she kept walking, she could hear their words behind her. Some followed her in, though at a distance.

"That girl is dangerous," the first contestant said, thinking she couldn't hear him. "She has the most apathetic expression I think I've ever seen. Whatever she wishes… might not be a good thing for the rest of the world."

"Maybe it's about family," another said. "She might be fighting to rescue her kids or something. Maybe she's operating on pure motherly instinct."

"I don't want to think of any kids who have that as their mother," another answered. "She's ruthless and cold."

"…she reminds me of the Emperor himself."

"Yeah, now that you mention it."

"That same emptiness… of something you love being missing from your life… turning you into a former shell of what you used to be? I always got that feeling from the Emperor, and now I'm getting the same vibe from her."

Cantirena laughed again. "Shut up," she snapped at them. "There's a lot about the world you don't understand. I won't tell you my wish because it's not like any of you would fight for it yourself. It's not like you care enough to give up your wishes to make my own come true. So there's no point in trying to talk over anything. I will kill every last one of you… if it would make my wish come true."

_I'm so sorry, Minwu. I know this goes against your teachings, but… I have to save you. We have to make this happen. I will live for all I've killed, once I've freed you. I swear it._


	103. Ch 11, part 4

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 4

Minwu and Airu looked through every text they could. Now that the Emperor had left to oversee the ins and outs of the tournament, they had pretty much free reign. Airu was the highest ranking person in the palace without her son there, which meant freedom. They crunched as much information into their minds as they could, sleeping and eating very little and only when the body demanded it to be able to continue their work.

It was during one meal that Minwu stopped what he was doing, as he felt a flicker of something in his heart. Something happened, though he couldn't tell what. It could have been back in Fynn, or it could be with Cantirena preparing for the tournament. Airu noticed that he had stopped eating and was starting to hand him another book, when he put his hand up to stop her.

"Let me process everything a moment," Minwu said gently. "I… felt something."

"Your heart tugs at you," Airu said. "Someone you love must need you."

"I am needed everywhere," Minwu whispered. "Those in Fynn wish for me to help lead the rebellion. Cantirena needs me to keep her stable and to guide her. And… then I am needed here, because there are not many who can form a crystal, regrettably." He put his hand over his heart. "All of the information the Goddess gave me, and I am still not close enough! Oh… what have I missed? All of the studying I have done, and I am still not close enough to solving anything. I can't save my student, or the town I have pledged my loyalty, much less the world from a demon-possessed tyrant."

"Don't think that," Airu whispered. "You are panicking, and that's not going to help you think. Remember, you need three things which represent freedom, truth, and love…"

"…and then to bring them together under the purest white light," Minwu finished her sentence. "But I don't know what those things could be, and I certainly don't know what the white light is, either. That's why I'm trying to do all this research. There's not a single book about crystal creation, because at one point, they were naturally occurring objects."

"That, and it was considered taboo to create crystals at one time," Airu said quietly, picking up another text book. "Especially here in Palamecia."

"Probably because the Demon King has always had influence here, since the Stone of Illuia is here within this very palace since the empire's very founding," Minwu reasoned aloud. "Let that sink in for a minute. He knows a crystal is the one thing that can destroy the stone he is imprisoned in. Of course, he would have a law put in place against the creation of crystals. He's not stupid."

"…you are right," Airu whispered. "The doctors said that my husband died of a sickness of the mind. No spells could break it; no herbs, elixirs or remedies. Nothing. His last few years, he spent tucked away from the rest of the world. He didn't look after his son, he didn't look after his daughter, he didn't look after the matters of his home or his country. When he spoke, it was incoherent rambling… no one could make any sense of him…" She teared up, hiccupping a few times before being able to pull herself back together again. "I have to save my son from this fate, Minwu."

"I wish to spare everyone having to deal with this… but I don't know what all the symbolism is supposed to mean…" Minwu said. He got up to give his body a chance to move before setting back into his chair to read again. Something in his pocket landed against his chest. "…hm?" he reached into his pocket, pulling out the charm that Cantirena had given him. "It's… the charm?"

"That appears to be a protective charm," Airu said. "I've made those sorts of things and given them to my children over the years, in the tradition of Cosmos' Holy Text – giving her warriors powerful crystals to guide them when she could not be there, made with her love."

Minwu looked at the charm very closely. "Cantirena said her father gave this to her," he said. "To protect her… it looks to be the same kind of charm you spoke of. But… did you say that according to the text, these were… symbols of love?"

"Yes, that's what I said," Airu replied.

"I think we have one of the pieces!" Minwu shouted. "Perhaps… I have been looking in the wrong places! Airu, do you have a copy of the Holy Text which tells how this is made? Are there also symbols of truth and freedom within?!"

"…I thought you were a disciple of Cosmos."

"I am, but… I've never heard of this text before," Minwu said, ashamed of having to admit that fact.

"It makes sense that you wouldn't," Airu said, looking out the window. "Because… well…"

"Well, what?"

"I am not native of Palamecia. I was not born in this land. I am from Kashuon. I've never found a copy of the Holy Text anywhere here, and I have searched every library in this country that I can find."

"So you're saying that the only copy of the book that spoke of these charms… was destroyed in the attack on Kashuon?" Minwu asked. "You… can't be serious."

"There's no conclusive proof that the book was destroyed…" Airu said, trying to sound hopeful. "…if Kashuon Keep still stands, its library may still be intact."

"Full of zombies, ghosts, and ghouls," Minwu said. "But it is still intact."

"…then I will go," Airu said, standing up. "You will remain here, in case the guards come looking for you during my absence. You are not supposed to leave, of that much I am certain. I will go to the keep and retrieve the Holy Text myself."

"…but it is dangerous in those walls."

"And I am an accomplished mage, just as much as you are," Airu said. "I've casted many a Holy in my day. I'll be fine." She put her hands on Minwu's shoulders. "Cantirena misses you, and you need to be close to her, or you will make her heart ache in the way yours does right now. She will know if you go further from where she is. She'll feel you gone. Stay, it will take me no longer than a day."

"All right," Minwu said, giving her a nod of confidence. "I must believe in you, as I must believe in my student."

"Exactly." Airu said, walking out of the room and leaving him alone.

Minwu looked at the charm again. If the only book which taught how to make this charm was in Kashuon Keep, then how did Frederick and Sumia know how to make these? Who exactly were they? He turned the charm over, which had something that looked like ancient writing on it.

_This is not something taught in any text book. These glyphs are older than books… the last time anyone 's seen writing like this was during the time of __**scrolls**__… Frederick and Sumia would not have known this language… _He stared at it closely. _Is… is this… _

"By Cosmos' guiding light!" Minwu said. "This is the piece of a spell! This… oh Goddess Almighty, this spell is… the ultimate white magic? This… This is a piece of _**ULTIMA**_."

_With three pieces of love, truth, and freedom… cast the purest white light to create a crystal. The purest magic known to this world is known as the ancient ultimate white magic, Ultima! The ancients sealed it away… for good measure, because in the wrong hands it could prove to be an utter disaster. But I thought the only way to cast Ultima was from the tome sealed in the Tower of the Magi._

"This puzzle," Minwu whispered. "It's meant for me, isn't it, Cosmos? You wanted me, the last of my tribe… to solve this. I… I know that now. I'm so close."

_Hang on, Cantirena… We're almost there!_


	104. Ch 11, part 5

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 5

Emperor Mateus sat at the top of the coliseum, in a replica version of his throne. Around him stood cold stone walls which had been erected not much longer after the Palamecian castle was constructed. He watched, expecting so few of those who signed up for the tournament to come in through the door which was situated in a way that he could watch from where he was sitting.

_Come through, Cantirena,_ he thought. _I'm waiting for you_.

But after hours of waiting, not a single person walked through that opening which connected to the tunnel between the castle and the coliseum. He knew that Cantirena would be through there in time. He didn't expect anybody else to make it through that cave, but he knew how driven the lady who wielded the goddess' powers tended to be. She was willful. She was stubborn. Wounded or not, she would be through.

"My lord," a guard said loudly, catching his attention. "An airship approaches from the northwest! It bears two flags – one of yellow with a red fire, and one of white with a rose!"

"That would be my personal guests from the new jointed kingdom," Mateus said with a nod. "Do welcome them into Palamecia, but unless they have deemed to enter the tournament, they are to go straight to the guest wing of the castle. Do apologize for my absence."

"As you wish, Your Majesty!" the guard said, walking away briskly.

_Gordon, have you sent your rebels… or have you come yourself to see peace talks?_ Mateus thought, looking up at the sky. _I take you for more of a tactician than coming yourself… if something happened to you, why your kingdom, no matter how many countries you've absorbed into it, would cease to exist. You wouldn't make it so easy for me, would you? Where's the fun in that?_

Soon a voice below shouted at him. "What? Are you gonna invade the clouds above you, too?"

"Such impudence," Mateus replied, looking down to see Cantirena standing there with her hands on her hips. "My lady…"

Cantirena flicked her curls back, looking up at the Emperor with nothing but pride. "How dare you put a Zombie Dragon in that tunnel," she said. "That was uncalled for."

"If you wish to compete, you must prove yourself," Mateus answered.

"I'm not sure if you've noticed, but there's nobody else here," Cantirena said. "Everybody else died in that tunnel. They were a sorry lot who didn't stand a chance against what you put in there, and you made me use every kind of magic I know to make it through here." She shook her head. "This isn't a tournament, Mateus. I don't think you even understand the concept of fair play."

"You're perfect in every single way," Mateus said gently. "Except you've one terrible attitude and disdain for authority. If I could change one thing about you, it would be the way you speak."

"I'm not here for your pleasure," Cantirena said angrily. "And those… those people weren't either. I didn't like them, but they weren't… inherently bad, or anything. Some even risked themselves to save me, even though I up and called them terrible things to their faces." She shook her head. "I didn't have to kill them. I told them I was going to. No. You made it impossible for anybody else to make it through that tunnel." She wiped her face. "You want me for yourself, huh? Come and fucking _get_ me."

"I do not wish to hurt you," Mateus said.

"But you want to use me as an instrument of war, like you did before. You want me to use my magical powers to help you rule mightier than you all ready do!" she screamed. "You… You planned this from the very start… my sisters were right. I… I didn't want to give up on you, Mateus. I loved you, I adored you… more than anyone, more than even Minwu…" Cantirena didn't want to cry, but she couldn't help herself. Tears streamed down her cheeks. "I wanted to save you from what you've done to yourself… even after you made me kill while under the influence of the Demon King. But… you're not even human anymore. You've become him. You _are_ the Demon King!"

"I am more than that pathetic insect," Mateus said, standing up.

"Did I strike a nerve?" she asked.

"I am greater than the Demon King Iluia," Mateus stated. He leapt from where he was standing next to the throne and landed right in front of her, in the middle of the battle grounds of the coliseum. "I have absorbed his powers into me, adding his to mine. And if only you'd cooperate, my lady, I would have your powers to add to these which dwell within me."

_Minwu once said during a lesson that if a person holds too much power within them, it drives them crazy… _Cantirena thought, putting her hands up defensively. _As a human, he was gifted with magic, and with the powers of the Demon King completely fused with him, it may be too much for his mind and his body to handle whether he realizes it or not…_

She stared him down. "My powers aren't going to be used for destruction anymore. I'm… a white mage, like my teacher. You will not have my powers within you."

"I know. I can't just absorb them into my own body. Humans don't work like that," Mateus said, stepping closer to her. "We'd have to make offspring, to pass them on to the next generation. Super soldiers to fight our battles much better than we ever could. Wouldn't that be spectacular?"

"…and then watch them become even more erratic than you are?" she retorted. "Mateus, listen to me. Too much power can devour someone from the inside. You were once a kind-hearted, gentle, peace-loving prince. These powers have _changed_ you. If you were to take the chaotic powers that live within you and mix them with… whatever it is that lives in me, it would drive any children we have insane. It's because of the powers I carry that I don't want children. I don't want them chased after future tyrants who want to abuse them!"

"I don't want to abuse you," Mateus said. "I don't want that. I would never hurt you."

_You can't get me like that again… you've done this to me once. I won't fall for it again!_

"You have enslaved me before, taken away my memories and my own free will. And it wasn't even your fault. It was the Demon King who lived within you! The longer you live with him inside you, the more crazy you're going to become. You are only human, Mateus!"

"I am no mere human… I am God!" He started twitching madly, as if his composed nature had finally failed him. "I am the ruler of all, my lady. You have just as much a right to serve me as any other no-good humans on this planet."

"…I won't help you cause more trouble… if I can't convince you to go back to your old self, then…" she sighed. "Then I'm going to have to stop you and put you out of your own misery. You're in pain just as much as the rest of the world is."

"I'm not in pain, my lady," Mateus laughed. He was a mere foot away from where she was standing before he raised his staff in her direction. He was going to attack her. She knew that stance. "I enjoy the sensation of feeling power beyond human reckoning. I relish in the fact that this world, and everything in it, belongs to me."

"You're wrong," Cantirena declared, putting her hands together. When her aura was flowing freely, magic came to her fingertips as easily as it always had. "I don't belong to you!" The single fireball shot from her hands was deflected very easily.

"Come now, you can do better than that," he said. "If you're going to fight me, at least show me what you can do! Bring forth that mighty lightning that you used to destroy so many towns below our Dreadnaught Warship, which you lovingly had built for me. Make it interesting. Don't waste my time, my lady. I'll even give you an extra shot. Strike me down, Child of the Goddess!"

_It's hard to fight against him, when I don't want to hurt him at all… oh, Minwu… no, I can't rely on Minwu to guide me all the time. I have to make some decisions on my own. I'm not Minwu's mouthpiece, just as much as I'm not Mateus' slave! I'm my own person and… and…_

"Sometimes, I have to fight for myself!" Cantirena shouted, raising her left hand into the air to call forth all of the static electricity around her. "Protection isn't just healing spells and barriers. Protection is… fighting for what you love and believe in! That's what it means to protect!"

"Very good," Mateus said teasingly. "But will that knowledge help you?"

"I don't know… but it sure as hell won't help you!" She could feel her arm prickle. There was enough static in her left arm to call forth a spell to knock him down, though it would leave her without any means of defense for a bit. Cantirena had to take the chance, though. She had no choice. "The Might of Zeus' Wrath! **THUNDAGA**!"

The light was so bright that Cantirena had to cover her eyes, and her body felt much weaker than it had just a few moments ago. She hoped that was enough to leave him on the ground, but when she opened her eyes again, he was even closer than he was before she cast the spell.

"That was all?" he asked. "You must be out of practice. It's terrible, really, to see such ability go to waste."

"It's not a waste," she said, stepping back away from him. "I refuse to…"

"…you don't want to kill me. You know what I can do for you. I'm this close all ready, just wait until I get closer. You remember what I've done for you. The feelings you've felt while at my mercy. On your knees, my lady."

_You won't…! You won't have me again!_

"I will fight you with every ounce of life I have in me, Mateus. I'm not your toy or your tool." Cantirena said, pulling herself back to standing upright. She put her hand up. "I'm not going to hold back this time, I swear it. I don't want to hurt you, but…"

_But I can't do this anymore!_

"Angel's Wrath! **HOLY**!"

The ball of light melted away into nothingness before it even touched Mateus.

"You've lost the ability to cast destructive magic. I wonder why that is?" Mateus asked. "Is it because you're not confident in your powers? Is it because you stand against me, alone, and you fear what's to become of you if you fall before me? You're afraid of losing. You're afraid of losing everything you love and hold dear to you."

"But I'm not afraid of you!"

"Then why aren't you attacking me at full strength?" Mateus asked again. "I'll give you another chance. On your knees, my lady, and all will be forgiven."

"I told you before, I can't just bow to you."

"Then, for Cosmos' sake, _fight back_."

_Why can't I land a blow on him? Is it because he's still wearing that reflect armor? Minwu, I've done everything right, haven't I? What am I missing? Why can't… what's wrong with me?!_

"Cantirena, I'm losing my patience. Either make this battle worth my time or fall to your knees!"

_Wait a minute. If he really wanted to attack me, he would have by now._

That's when she put her hands down and shook her head. "No," she said softly. "I will not do this."

"Hm?"

…_if I want to fight at my full strength, then I need to have my sisters with me. Shit, I'm gonna have to make up something… anything… shitshitshitshitshit…_

"Mateus. You're not going to hurt me. You want me too much. If you were to kill me, you'd invalidate not just my powers, but those of my two sisters as well. They're children of the Goddess, too, you know. If you want more power, you'll need to have those two. Not just me."

"Is that so? If they also have the powers of the Goddess, you make a very good point."

_Come on, Cantirena, think!_

"All I have is the magical prowess of Cosmos… but my sisters have other abilities of the Goddess, too…"

"The legends did speak of power, wit, and heart…"

"That's right. According to the legend, I have the power it speaks of. Clarisse has the heart, the ability to understand emotions and empathize with others. Candice has the wit. She's sharp as a tack and just as deadly. She may not be book smart, but she beats everybody else with practicality." Cantirena continued. "So if you really are seeking power, and if you have invited the party from Fynn like I think I overheard you say… let me go now. Wait until the celebration for your mother… and then strike."

"Why would you suggest that? You don't want to be under my power."

_Oh Goddess… for fuck's sake… Mateus, just… shut the hell up all ready!_

"You're right. I don't. But I do know that there will be no cooperating with either of my sisters… if you make the wrong move beforehand," Cantirena said. "Clarisse and Candice both would rather have your head on a silver platter. If you wait it out, you'll have a better chance."

"I don't trust you. You have fought against me all the way up until this point. There is no reason for me to believe that you would even consider this kind of a plan. This isn't like you."

"I don't trust you, either. So we're even in that respect… but, you have Minwu in the palace, right? I'll stay here and cooperate. We will throw the celebration like originally intended. My sisters are undoubtedly guests on the airship. I know them all too well. They were coming the moment we were separated south of Mysidia. I will not leave the coliseum."

"…fine."

"Tell Minwu that everything will be going according to plan."

"…hmm…"


	105. Ch 11, part 6

"Dark Skies over Palamecia" – a Final Fantasy II retelling

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy II and all FFII characters featured within. Original characters and interpretations are owned by the co-writers of this fan fiction. There is no profit being made from this story.

Part 6

Cantirena left where she faced off with Mateus, walking into the far wall where there were open chambers which she assumed at one point in the past was full of either tournament contestants or monsters. Either way, the chambers were dirty from thousands of years of neglect, and smelled like the sweat off of a collective dead army's balls. She sat on the ground, which wasn't even paved or made of any sort of solid stone. It was just sand. Cantirena noticed a window above where a little trickle of light fell through, but the chamber was mostly full of shadow.

"I just realized…" she said quietly to herself "…that it's impossible to form a plan involving my sisters if I don't have them here to discuss it with me." She laughed at that, putting her hand onto the sand and running her fingers through it slowly. "And there's no way I can get to the castle, since I promised I would stay. Fuck. All those lessons, teacher, and I'm still stupid as I was when you first started giving them to me. I'm hopeless. If I don't do something, I can't even do what I set out to do. I might as well just bend my knee and be done with this struggle if I can't save you."

She sat there, leaning against the wall, and after a while, gave up on thinking how to defeat the Emperor. She was better at improvising than planning anyway, right? She'd just pull something out of her ass, and if it didn't work, well… she knew that because she was valuable to him, Mateus wouldn't hurt her. He wouldn't hurt Minwu, either, because she knew that Mateus knew he needed to be alive to keep her sane. It wasn't what she wanted, but while sitting there in the darkness, she was almost ready to believe it was the only way. What could she do now? What could anyone do in her situation? Fighting back didn't do jack shit!

Her eyes closed as she pondered everything. Eventually, she drifted to sleep, letting out a soft snore with each breath.

Mateus stood there in the doorway. He had been standing silently in a place where she couldn't see the entire time, watching her.

_You wish to use your sisters,_ he thought. _While that is an intelligent idea, I agree with you on the count that it is impossible for you to make any plans without them present. I suppose if I had a different face, you would allow me to hear your heart, wouldn't you? _

He snapped his fingers, calling forth magic to change his appearance. Blue swirls wrapped around him, changing him from the tall Emperor wearing gold to that of the bronze-skinned, white robbed Minwu. He concentrated his thoughts on what Minwu's voice sounded like. If he wasn't going to get caught in this, he was going to need to be perfect.

"Cantirena, my student, are you here?" he asked, his voice sounding exactly like Minwu's.

_Perfect._

Cantirena looked around, suddenly called from her nap. "What?" she asked. "Is… is anybody there? How long have I been asleep?! Is it time for the fight all ready?" She was dazed and confused, barely able to stand. Having fallen asleep, her body finally noticed that she was extremely exhausted.

"No, it is not time for the fight."

"…Minwu!" Cantirena said happily, pulling herself up straight. "What are you doing here? You were supposed to stay at the castle."

"Aye, but the Emperor decided to show mercy to you because you were the only one who survived the trek inside the tunnel between the castle and the coliseum. He permitted me to come here to see you."

She ran to him, wrapping her arms around him the best she could. "I've failed you on all levels… I'm so sorry. Some protégé I am."

"Don't say that." His hands ran lovingly through her hair. "I don't see you as a failure. I love you and nothing will change the fact that I do. No matter how many you kill, no matter how many cities you destroy. Even if I can't have you for myself, my heart will not change. I am yours, Cantirena."

"And that's why I have to fight to save you."

"If you are determined to save me, then I can't stop you. You have to make your own decisions. You have to do what's best for yourself. And if throwing yourself into danger in my honor is what you think you need to do, then by Cosmos, you do it! I would not have you embroiled in conflict, but your life is your life. It is what you make it."

"…truthfully, I wish I could live to your teachings, but… protection isn't just cure spells and barriers."

"Even I have violated my own teachings in the past in the name of protection. I am no pacifist, and you shouldn't be either. I always want you to follow your heart, Cantirena."

"…Minwu," she said, gripping him tighter. "We have to live for those we've killed. We promised we would rebuild this world together. I refuse to let that promise be broken. I can't rebuild anything while that tyrant is running the place."

"My dear student, you sound so very convicted in the matter. Pray, tell me of your plans. Do you hope to stop the Emperor yourself?"

"I wish I could, but… when I faced him alone, I couldn't do any damage," she said sadly. "I cast a Thundaga, and that did nothing. And my Holy spell melted before it even reached him. Teacher, I… I fear that I will not be able to do anything to him on my own, and my sisters… I can't form a plan without them."

"You wish to involve them?"

"You know yourself that they want Mateus' head on a silver platter. They were able to break the possession over me when every bit of magic you knew failed you…"

_So __**that**__ is how the possession was broken! The three pieces of the Goddess created an aura so pure when put together that it cast out the darkness which was so deeply imbedded into your heart…_

Cantirena continued. "Together, I know that we three can get the Demon King out of him, and if he still wanted to fight, at least then we'd stand a little bit more of a chance. Minwu, I… even though I said I was going to kill him, I don't think I can bring myself to do it. Every time I try, something stops me. My spells weaken when I look at him. I swear up and down I don't love him anymore! I don't know what's going on with me!"

"…my student, I have no words of advice to offer you. All I can do is comfort you."

She looked up at him, taking comfort in his gaze. "And that's enough for me. To know that you love your failure student even to this point."

He put his hands to her chin, raising her jaw up to kiss her gently. When he released, he said, "You are not a failure. What do I have to do to convince you that you're _perfect_?"

"Don't flatter me, Minwu," she whispered.

"I'm not flattering you. I believe it. I wouldn't change a single thing about you." He kissed her again. "I would worship you, if only you'd let me."

"…now that's not something you'd normally say. We humans are not to be worshipped, that is for the Goddess. That's what scripture says, somewhere. I can't quote the chapter or the verse, but I know the scripture says that _somewhere_."

"The time away from you, worrying about you, missing you… you have never left my thoughts even though you are far away from me physically. Please, let me show you how much I've missed you." He pressed his hips against hers, and she could feel exactly what he meant.

Cantirena blushed. "You're normally not so forward," she said. "Even though I've thought of it myself, this isn't really the time or the place for _that_."

"You aren't going to push me away before I have to go back, are you?"

"Minwu, you are not the type to act out of desperation for anything. I know I said I wanted Airu to lie to Mateus about me being ready because I wanted the chance to spend some time with you, but… I've got other things on my mind right now."

"…you should let them go for the moment."

"No, Minwu, please, let go of me."

_Let down your guard. The one you love the most is here, holding you against him, wanting to give you affection, my lady. Let me in._

He only gripped her tighter. "Do you not realize how much I fear for you? I have no idea what the Emperor has put you through, and I don't know what else is to come. Cantirena, I'm afraid that I'll never have this chance again. That tournament is either going to take you from me, or me from you, somehow. Even if victory is achieved, and you manage to free the Emperor from the Demon King, something could go wrong. One of us could die… Allow me to give you my love now, just in case it is impossible to do so later."

Cantirena slapped him in the face, pulling away completely. "You… you… You're not Minwu! That is not something my teacher would say to me, ever, under any circumstances. He does not beg or plead for anything, even when he wants something he can't ask for it. He believes in me. I know he does. You aren't Minwu. Get away from me."

"I am standing before you now. I am Minwu."

"…you look and sound like him, but you're not acting like him."

"The situation has changed everyone involved. You're not acting much like yourself, either."

"Can you _blame_ me? There was one guy who wore your disguise and tried to convince me to marry the Emperor who ended up being skewered by his scepter! With that in mind and knowing the kind of manipulation magic that Mateus is capable of, it's hard to believe that anyone is… well, anyone!"

"That was just a dream. There's no reason to think that I'm not who I say I am, Cantirena. I am afraid that our plans will not come to fruition, and that we will not be going home to Fynn together somehow. I only wanted to show you how much I love you before that chance is denied by the circumstances around us."

"…Minwu doesn't fear anything."

"You are wrong about that. I fear for this world. I fear for Fynn. I fear for you."

"Bullshit. Minwu has said it tons of times. It is every man's destiny to die. He doesn't fear for himself or anyone else, because he believes the world is in the hands of the Goddess, and that she knows what she's doing. He doesn't question what the Goddess puts before him. He does what he believes he is supposed to."

"Cantirena… Do you believe that I am even real at this point? You're saying all these great things about me, but you don't believe that I am standing here before you. You had a dream where a man pretended to be me, trying to convince you to marry the Emperor, and now you don't want to believe that I am who I am. Will you believe that every image that you see of Minwu is a fake? Do I only exist in your imagination somehow? This vision of perfect that is completely unachievable?"

"Minwu, I…"

"You cannot be serious. I've given you my heart and you do not trust me."

"…because you're not acting the way you normally do."

"And neither are you, my student. You are acting differently because you've changed just as much as I have. You are less trusting, which considering what you've been through makes sense, but you know that I will never hurt you. We have known each other for how long now? I love you. I wish to cherish you always. Forget the Goddess. Forget the war. Forget it all, I just want to be with you."

"Get out of here."

"But Cantirena, I-"

"Get out of here. I don't know if the Emperor put you up to this to convince me of something or to draw information out of me or why else you would do this, but I'm not putting up with this anymore. You're not Minwu. If you persist, I will not hesitate to kill you."

"Will you kill the man you love because you distrust the fact that it is him?"

"You're not the man I love. Your words have proven this." Cantirena turned around. "If I look back and see you again, I will not hesitate further. Get out and leave me in peace."

He walked behind her, putting his arms around her waist. "I will not leave you. This is the last chance I may have at being near you. I want to hear your heartbeat, to hold you close, to caress your skin, to kiss you, to make love to you."

"Let go."

"No."

"Let go!"

"No."

She used her hands to try to get his hands off of her, but he gripped her much tighter. "Don't make me call for the Emperor." She stated it so emotionlessly, but she couldn't think of anything else.

"You'd call for him? You hate him."

"And if I called for him, I know for a fact that he would come here. Nobody pretends to be him. I know who he is and what his motivations are, so in a way, he's a lot safer than you are. If I told him that you were hurting me, he would kill you. He values me too much to let harm come to me. I bet he can even hear what's going on right now."

"Hm. I wouldn't be surprised if he wasn't very far from here, trying to learn all he can. But we have to show him our solidarity, don't we?"

"You are some crony he's made to look like Minwu..."

"I am nothing like that."

"…if you're not some lackey, then it's possible that you're the Emperor in disguise. I would not put that past him at all, considering."

"What would you do, if I was the Emperor in disguise? Hm? Can you honestly tell me what you would do if this was the truth? You confided in me that you could not bring yourself to kill him when you faced off with him. You couldn't do it. If the Emperor really took on my disguise and got this close to you, why, I believe he'd have exactly what he wanted. He probably wouldn't be able to hold back. He would take you against your will, making you beg for release in more ways than physical, and I'm sure that he would let you know it was him so you'd know exactly who has the control. That's just the sort of man he is. But I know your stubbornness. I've dealt with it every day since we have met. I am willing to put up with this treatment to prove to you that I am who I am and I am who I say I am."

Suddenly, Cantirena stopped struggling. She turned to look at his face. "Minwu," she whispered. "I'm so sorry. This… this war has… been hell…"

"All is forgiven, my student," he answered, kissing her cheek. "You will fight for our right to be free… You are a brave woman, willing to take such risks."

"You probably don't know this, but everyone else who entered the tournament is dead. Mateus set it up so that everyone else would fail his trial before the whole thing began. This isn't a tournament at all. I have no idea what he's planning to do to me come the day of the fight."

"It doesn't matter. You will rise above them all. I have nothing but faith in you."

"That's sweet of you to say, but I still can't help but feel nervous about what's coming. I've got four days, and I opted to stay in this pit until the day of. I was incredibly stubborn. Maybe if I had agreed to go with him, I'd be able to eat, or even see my sisters before having to face off with some incredibly fierce monster I've never fought before."

"I will stay with you."

"But… Minwu… what about… what about the crystal?"

_Crystal_? He thought. _What is this about a __**crystal**__? Minwu has a crystal? This… is very troublesome indeed._

He snuggled against her gently, pulling her back onto him as he sat down on the sand. "What crystal?" he asked.

"Are you saying that because you don't want the Emperor to hear of it? Is he nearby? That rat, I'm going to teach him it's not nice to eavesdrop."

"Well, Cantirena, it is because of the Emperor's mercy that I am here to begin with. It would not be wise to betray him for breaking the rules of the tournament as he has now, you know. Let us be as generous as he has."

"…yes, teacher." She said it very dismissively.

"Come now. I am more than that, aren't I?"

"I can't help it. Every time you remind me of a lesson, that's my initial response."

He fell silent for a little bit before pulling her hair away from her ear and kissing it, making her fall against him with a smile on her face. She liked how gentle Minwu always was about his affection. It was much more enjoyable than the force the Emperor was so keen on using. It made her feel loved, not owned.

"You shouldn't," she whispered.

"And why not?"

"I'm not sure if this is the best place to-"

"_Anywhere_ I can lay you down is the best place to do so."

Cantirena stopped him before he could kiss her again. She put her finger right on his lips. "Since when were you so forward?" she asked playfully.

"Since I thought I was going to lose you forever. I don't have time to hold back anymore," he answered, nuzzling against her with his nose. "Now can I continue, or are you going to make me answer more of your questions?"

"I'm learning, teacher. You taught me to question everything… even _you_."

"Allow me to give you a new lesson, then," he said gently. "To answer every question when it comes to matters of the heart. Perhaps you will have the conviction you need to face the battles ahead this way."

"…I say I'm not scared, but… but I am scared."

"The only way one can be brave is if they are scared first."

"You've said that before."

"Just quoting scripture."

It didn't take long for their position to change. Amid well-aimed kisses and gentle moans, Cantirena found herself in bliss under him.

_I brought something with me. I'm sure you'll find it familiar, my lady. The spell itself is different, but it works similar to the last one. This one won't break. Instead of basing it around your love for me, it's based around your love and dedication to Minwu. You rely on him too much. It's too easy to manipulate. It's like you're asking to fall into my control again._


End file.
